What Is Man And The Universal Religion Of Man Vol I

THE BOOK WAS
DRENCHED

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WHAT IS MAN,

AND

THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION OF MAN,
IN THE LIGHT OF ISLAM?

VOL. I.

(Containing eight lectures on Spiritual
Philosophy of Islam.)

BY
SHAH MUHAMMAD BADI-'UL-'ALAM.

PUBLISHED BY

MUNSHI MUHAMMAD YASIN

OF IZZATNAGAR, CHITTAGONG.

1914.
All Rights reserved

Printed by J. C. GHOSH, at the COTTON PRESS,
for Munshi Mnhammad Vasin, 57 Harrison Road, Calcutta.

DEDICATION.

This humble worklis most humbly and respectfully
dedicated to the Memory of Mahbub-i-Subhani, Gous-i-
Samdani, Qutb-i-Rabbani, Gous-ul-A'zam, Hadrat,
Saiyad, Shaikh Abdul Oadir, Jilani, as a token of
respect, gratitude and devotion, for the blessings the
author has derived from the Tariqah started by His
Holiness, promulgating the principles of Spiritual
philosophy.

MUHAMMAD BADI-'UL-'ALAM.

j^ Jj ^/^ - ~j

x-' x -^ x Ix x

* X * ^X

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PREFACE.

What is the object of Religion ? Is it happiness,
peace, wealth, power, physical health, freedom from
disease, knowledge, wisdom, immortality, and lastly
oneness with the Great Allah ? If so, certainly Islam
promises to show you that they are in you, for you, in
your grasp, that the key to all knowledge is in your
possession. The kingdom of Divinity is within you.
Realise it, and all others will follow.

The tendency of the present age of Thought is
to seek knowledge as a reward of belief. The soil is
ready for sowing the seed. Islam promises to fulfil
all that are necessary to meet this demand. Unlimited
peace and happiness are for every human being. Every
man can attain to Divine environment by a particular
practical method. Islam indicates it guides thr
seeker. God of Ibrahim, Jacob, Moses Jesus, Krishna,
Buddha and Raja Ram Mohan Ray is the God of
Muhammad (S. A. S.), and He is in you. An imagin-
ary veil has concealed Him from your view. Tear
U away and see Hi* Holy Face. Islam will guide

VI PREFACE.

you along the true path, as God bays in the Holy Qoran

XXx> 4*<X 4/X X4 4^X X X 4 XX

V c OjX&jJj ^ UJU*- ^uj>|U UJL* I^J^IA, ^liJl j

i. e. "Those who have exerted to get Me I have guided
them on in the path to Me/'

Great Allah further says in the Holy Qoran

* 4 X X 4 X4 4*

^ ^5X6*3

XX /I XXX

i, e.- "To-day I have perfected your religion for you
and have bestowed upon you all my favours and gifts,
and have chosen for you Islam (resignation and obedi-
ence to Allah) as your icligion." Sura 5. Ruku I. Aya. 5

Again He says* is the Holy Qoran

X 4 X4 I X 4> XX X4X X 4^ XX

> X * ^"^ - - -X

X X

* S S *+ SS X4XA X X^AXXX

X ^ 4 X X 4>4 4X X 4X

*J

i. e. " S'-iy * We plight faith in God, and in what has
been sent down to us, and what has been sent down to
Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants,

PREFACE. Vll

and what has been given to Moses, Jesus, and what has
been given to other prophets, from their Lord. We do
not create any distinction between any of them. We
are their believers and followers'/' Sura 2. Ruku 16.

These extracts clearly show the aim and object
of Islam.

Further, in the report of the proceedings of The
International Religious Congress of America, held at
Paris in July, 1913, we find the following :

"Various speekers in the Congress discussed the
desirability of a religion which, without mutilating their
intellect, or causing separation between beliefs and
rational convictions, may furnish them with prin-
ciples leading to unlimited progress and the final
evolution of Man. The present conditions in religion
were found wanting, and a code of morality was desired
which, in addition to what is taught by the gentle
philosopher of Nazareth, may also include truths re-
vealed or discovered before or after his appearance/'

Again the Report says

"Thus, to discover a religion based on truths re-
vealed in the past, present and futur*e of Christ was
Dimply his blessed injunctions/'

Further on the report says.

"A lively interest was excited when the possibility
of a universal religion for the human race was discussed.
Every religion was admitted to possess its own beauty
and excellence^ which could teach many lessons to
the people in the west. Missionary works on its present

Vlll PREFACE.

lines was deprecated, and it was averred that the
present attitude of the propagandist towards other
denominations of the world was not creditable, and
needed reformation.' 1

This is exactly what is claimed and taught by Islam.
Islam claims to be "Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism
and other religions combined, liberalized, purified,
elevated and spiritualized." It claims to teach, not only
theoretically, but also practically, to people of all stages
of society, by the shortest, and the most simple and
powerful method

(1) The Universal faith in one Eternal God.

(2) The Universal worship and devotion, and the
Final Evolution of Man, or merging in Divinity.

(3) The Universal Ethics, and

(4) The Universal Brotherhood of Mankind,

The philosophical, spiritual and ethical phases of
Iblam have never been placed before the enlightened
and enquiring Europe and America. It is therefore the
desire of the author to place before the sincere, unbiased,
enquiring, and right-minded public of occidental
continents the universal principles of Islam for which
it is suited to be the "The Universal Religion of
the world."

There are various methods or systems of the practical
teachings of The spiritual principles of Islam. The
system to which the humble author belongs, is known as
iJLJo Tariqah-i-Qaderiyah, founded by Gous-

PREFACE.

ul-A'zam Hadrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (Q. A. S. A)
but lately reformed to suit the requirements of the
present age by Rev. Hazrat Moulana Mukhlisar Rahman 5
Surnamed Jahangir Shah, (Q. A. S. A.). Hence the
system is at present known as du-^Jk&l^ &L*L
" Silsilah - i-J ahangiriyah?

Moulana Mukhlisar Rahman (Q. A. S. A.) was born,
in 1812 A. C. at Mirzakhil Sharif, in Parganah Satkania.
District Chittagong in Bengal, India. His father's
name was Munshi Golam AH, who was a pleader in the
local civil court. Moulana was farely educated at home,
and when he entered the world, he went to Calcutta to
conduct a case. After finishing his business there, he
took his admission in the Calcutta Madrasah and began
to prosecute his studies further. Ultimately he took
the highest degree and honor in Arabic Literature,
Muhammadan Law and Philosophy. He gradually
occupied the first place among the Musalman Ulema of
the time. Then he took his initiation in Suffism in the
hands of Hadrat Moulana Saiyad Imdad AH Sahib
Subordinate Judge (Q. A. S. A) of Bhagajpur, in Behar.
He made most extraordinary progress in spiritual
advancement and after about six months only he was
vested with Khelafat (Pir's viceroyahy) and ordered by
his Pir to return to his own home in Chittagong and
guide the people there in the path to God.

The great Moulana therefore came back to his home
in the year 1850 A. C. and started the teaching of The
Spiritual Philosophy of Islam. Thus was started the

X PREi-ACE.

pre-ent Dairah-Sharif of Mirzakhii, which is the Head
Quarter of The Silsilah-i-Jahangiriyah. In his life
time he also managed and imparted lessons to the
students of a grand Madrasah.

After initiating thousands of people in the tenets
of the secret doctrines of Sufiism, he left this physical
world and joined his Creator on the I2th day of Zil-
Qaad, 1302 H. E., corresponding with 1885 A. C.
His only work is Sharh-i-Sadur in Persian language, in
which he has undermined the doctrines of Wahabi-i-sm.

He is succeeded in his Guddee hy his son and Kha-
li fah Revd. Hadrat Moulana Muhammad Abdul Hai,
whose most humble disciple is the author.

Any man or woman, belonging to any of the present
religions of the world, may enrol himself or herself
in this Tariqah and can take initiation in its practical
teachings.

The undersigned, if required, will gladly supply all
necessary informations to the seekers on any point
regarding the details.

The author owes an apology to the readers on
account of

(1) Any defect in the language ; as he never intend-
ed any literary display in this volume, but his obiect
is simply to place before the enquiring community of
the modern age the philosophical teachings of Islam
through the medium of intelligible English language.

(2) Mistakes in the printing ; which was caused
on account of the fact that during the period this book

PREFACE. XI

was going through the Press the author himself was a
victim to a severe attack of paralysis (from which he
has by the grace of Providence now almost recovered)
and secondly, there was a series of attacks by cholera
in his family, which resulted in five deaths in nine days.
(3) Want of a proper method of transliteration ;
which is caused by the speediness with which the book
was carried through the press and the consequent
inability to arrange for specially marked letters.

Address \

IZZATNAGAR,

P.O. KALIPUR, 'MUHAMMAD BADI-'UL-'ALAM.
CHITTAGONG,
BENGAL, INDIA. J

Abbreviations.

R.A. Raziyallahu y Anhu. i.e. May God be pleased
with him !

A.S. ' Alaihis S0lam> i.e. He peace on him !

S,A.S. Sallallahu ' A lahi- wa-Sallam. i.e. Be peace

and happiness with him !

O.A.S.A. Qaddsul/au Sirrahul ' Aziz. i.e. May God
purify his Soul !

CONTENTS.

f. Introduction
2. What is Man ?

LECTURE. I.

1. What is the secret of Man ? ... ... .. 7

2. Analyzation of Human Character ... ... 7

(1) Animal Character . ... ... 8

(2) Satanic Character ... ... ... 8

(3) Angelic Character ... ... ... 8

(4) Divine Character ... ... ... 9

3. Man's Original Character ... ... ... 10

4. Two components of Man ... ... ... 15

(1) Body, and ... .. ... 55

(2) Soul ... ... ... ... 16

5. Three of the Attributes of Divinity ... ... 19

6. Definition of the Soul ... ... ... 22

7 Whence has Man come ... ... .. 23

8. The secrets of the soul ... ... ... 25

9. Two classes of Souls ... ... ... 28

LECTURE II.

Opening ... ... ... ... ... 32

1. Where shall Man go ? Death ... ... ... 33

2. The Two Human Sensations ... ... ... 45

3. The Soul is immortal ... ... ... 47

4. The Soul returns to Creator ... ... ... 50

5. On what business Man has come to this Station of

the world ? And Armies under the Soul ... ... 50

6. Ten Mental Faculties ... ... ... 52

7. The Mind ... ... ... ... 53

XIV CONTENTS.

8. The Functions of Ten Mental faculties ... ... 57

LECTURE III.

Opening ... ... ... ... ... 6r

1. For what object Man is created ? ... ... 62

2. The Principles of 'Ibadat ' ... ... ... 65

3. Different relations of the Soul with its subordinates ... 68

4. Nature of Man's Soul revealed ... ... 70

5. The Qalb or Heart resembles a mirror ... ... 75

6. Soul's companion in the After-world ... ... 78

7. Sleep and visions in sleep ... ... ... 83

8. Divine Revelations in Human Heart ... ... 84

9. Maratib-i-'uruj-i-Sittah, or Six stages of Ascent, or

10. Maratibi Uruj-i-Sittah, or The Theory of Spiritual
Evolution ... ... v . % ... 35

LECTURE IV.

1. The necessity of Pir, or the Spiritual Guide ... 94

2. Man's connection with the Spiritual world ... 100
3 Direct Knowledge from Allah to Human Heart ... 104

4. Mankind divided into three classes ... ... 107

5. Power of Man's Soul ... ... ... IIO

6. Revelation, Authority and Knowledge ... ... 121

LECTURE V.

Opening ... ... ... ... ^ 127

1. The Position of the Prophet of Islam %M 128

2. Tanazzulat-i-Sittah, or Six Strata of Descent, or The
Theory of Devolution ... ... ... J-^Q

LECTURE VI.

Opening ... ... ... ... _ , 53

1. Four divisions of Mankind as classified by Hadrat
Gous-ui-A^am ... ... ... ^ I ^

2, Sonoe authenticated Miracles ... ... ... j6 O

CONTENTS. xv

3. Etherialization of a living Musalman Saint ... 166

4. Knowledge is a great obstacle in the path of the
Great Allah ... ... ... ... 174

5. What are man's good fortune and misfortune? ... 180
6 Union and Separation Salvation and Fall -. 184
7. An Illustration ... ... ... ... 19

LECTURE VII.

Opening ,.. ... ... ... ... 193

1. Fundamental Faith and Piactice of Islam... ... 195

2. Tawhid or Divine Unity ... 19^

3. Angels ... ... ... ... ... 197

4. Divine Books ... ... ... ... 198

5. Prophets... ... ... ... ... 199

6. 'Amal ... ... ... ... ... 205

7. Zikr ... ... ... ... ... 205

8. Divine manifestation in Physical Plane ... ... 208

9. Rules of Life ... ... ... ... 210

LECTURE VIII.

j. Science and Religion ... ... ... 217

2. Law of gravitation as explained by Islam ... ... 218

3. Law of Atomic Attraction ... ... ... 220

4. The Changing world Islamic View ... ... 221

5. The Physical Evolution ... ... ... 222

6. The Spiritual Evolution ... ... ... 224

7. Islam and Theosophy ... ... ... 226

8. Conclusion ... ... ... ... 235

ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

The humble author most gratefully acknowledges
the financial help he has received from Her Most Gra-
cious Highness The Begum Sahibah of Bhopal in the
publication of this work, and he prays for the welfare
of Her Highness both in this and the after-world.

MUHAMMAD BADI-'UL-'ALAM.

A WORD TO THE READERS.

Readers are respectfully requested to go through
the preface carefully before they begin to read the book.

MUHAMMAD BADI-'UL-'ALAM.

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234-

THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION,

OR ISLAM.

INTRODUCTION.

;

\V 7 e are the residents of the street of our beloved
(Allah); and we never turn our face to world and
paradise.

^j}yjtf j}--^ <JoLjL-^| * ^j5 y La3 j/ ^xi JUJb

We are nightingales, thrown down by the force of
destiny, in separation, (in this physical world) from
Divine Garden.

We are birds, living on the branches of the Tree
of Divinity, We are jewels, kept concealed in the Safe
of Divine secrets.

INTRODUCTION.

In heart we always repeat " Hu Hu," as \ve are
always anxious to give publicity to the secrets of the
Creator.

Since a long time past, I am receiving every morning,
from the spiritual world the glad tiding :

That by the internal eyes of heart do not see any
thing else, except your Friend (Allah); and whatever
you observe know it to be a manifestation of Him.

WHAT IS MAN ?

" Verily, he, who has known his self, has known his

Lordl'V)

So says the great Prophet of Islam.

Again, the Holy Quran says :

" And to him (man) We (Allah) are nearer than his

Jugular Vein."( g )

" He (Allah) is with you, wherever you be."( 3 )

"I am going to place a Vicegerent (Hadrat Adtim
A. S.) on Earth."( )

" I shall soon manifest my own signs in the Universe
and in their (men's) ownselves> until the truth becomes
evident to them."( 5 )

S/S *// S*S S/S A

\^ ) C)

/1JA^ S S*/*f/

\

;

x x

4 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

The Hadis Sharif and the passages of the Holy
Qorn quoted above clearly indicate that there is some
direct connection between Man and the Great Allah,
and that the knowledge of Man is the key to the know-
ledge of his Creator.

Now, there is nothing in the vast creation which i,s
closer to you than your own self. So, while you are
ignorant of your own self, it is foolish to claim the
knowledge of things besides you. The great philosopher-
poet Moulan Rum says :

" You have become Moulavi (learned), yet you are
not aware of where you are, whence you are, and what
you are.'X 1 )

If you say that you know your person, such a claim
is groundless and irrelevent ; because the knowledge of
your material body or physical appearance can not
serve as a key to the secret knowledge of the Great
Allah. Even the irrational animals have such a know-
ledge of their physical persons. But never can it be said
that irrational animals possess the secrets of Divine
Knowledge. ' In possessing the external knowledge of
the head, the face, the hands, the feet and other limbs
of your body, you are by no means better than those
animals. As for internal knowledge, feeling and willing,
they eat when they feel hungry ; they fight when they
feel angry ; and they seek the satisfaction of other

WHAT IS MAN. 5

animal passions, when they feel the influence of those
passions, in the same manner as you do.

Man is called "the noblest of the creations/' ( 1 ) and
the Holy Qoran says, " I have given superiority and
excellence to children of Adam"; (*) and referring to the
creation of Hadrat Adam (A. S.), the Great Creator
says : " Verily we proposed the trust to the Heavens
and the Earth, and the mountains, and they refused to
undertake the same, and were afraid thereof ; but Man
undertook it : verily he was unjust to himself and was
ignorant of future responsibility."^) But in all elements
of animal composition irrational animals, as I have
explained, stand on the same level with you. Then,
where does the superiority of Man over other animals,
or creations, lie ? What are his duties as the represen-
tative of the Great Allah ?

In order to ascertain and establish this superiority
of Man and his authority as the vicegerent of the Great

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6 - THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Creator, it is necessary to make enquiries on following
points :

(1) What is the .secret of Man ?

(2) Whence has Man come ?

(3) Where shall Man go ?

(4) On what business has Man comt* to this station
oi the world ?

(5) What is the object of the creation of Man ?

(6) Wherein lies Man's salvation, and wherein, hi^
fall ?

LECTURE-I.

WHAT IS THE SECRET OF MAN?

ANALYZATION OF HUMAN CHARACTER.

After a careful enquiry and deep meditation it will
be found that there are thousands of characters in the
nature of Man. In fact all the characters of entire
creation are embodied in the character of Man. So Man
is an epitome of the whole universe. Therefore Mouln
Rum says :

"An ocean of knowledge is concealed in a drop of
dew ; and a universe is lying latent in a human form
of two yards length. "(' )

For the purpose of the present series of lectures,
I have grouped them into following four classes :

(1) Animal character,

(2) Satanic character,

(3) Angelic character and

(4) Divine character. '
You should therefore examine which of the four

characters is your own original and real character, and
which are auxiliary ones. If you can not make a most
searching analysis of these distinct characters, you can
not seek your good fortune and salvation ; because each 1

/**v L*^ ; L<+^ T^ O

8 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

of these four characters requires a distinct and separate
system of nourishment for its development.

The nourishment for the development of Animal
Character lies in eating, sleeping, lighting and killing,
and in satisfying other animal propensities. If you
think that you are only an animal and have no other
functions to discharge, then your plain duty is to keep
yourself engaged, day and night, in satisfying these
animal cravings, i. e. in eating, sleeping and fighting to
your heart's content &c.

The nourishment for Satanic Character lies in
cheating, intriguing and doing evils to others. If you
think that you are originally a satan, then your plain
duty is to remain, day and night, engaged in doing
mischief to other creatures of God, and in misguiding
the world by your intrigues ; and to make yourself the
commander of the army of Hell, so that you may reign
there.

The nourishment for Angelic Character lies in remain-
ing constantly engaged in submissive prayers and
dutiful services to the Great Allah, and in the blissful
vision of that vast, beautiful and etherial creation, known
as "the Spiritual Region." Anger, avarice, lust and
other animal passions and evil propensities, and the
intrigues of Satan, have no existence in that pure and
peaceful sphere. If you think that you are originally
an angel, then your plain duty is to pay no attention to
the cravings of the two preceding characters ; but to
keep them under proper control and subjugation, and

ANALYZAtlON OF HUMAN CHARACTER. 9

to try always to revive the Angelic Character by means
of peaceful prayers and faithful services, so that you
may enjoy the blissful and enchanting vision and com-
panionship of the Spiritual World, called the ei^A^
Behcsht (paradise).

And the nourishment for Divine Character lies in
acquiring Divine attributes which are classified in the
ninety-nine attributive names of Divinity, called

-oUL* Asmd-i-Sifdt or ^1 ^ cU^I Asmd-i-Hu,snd and

X

in the love for, and in charming vision and companion-
ship of, the Great Allah Himself. Animal, Satanic and
Angelic characters have no access to that Holy, Sub-
lime and Divine environment. If you think that you
have come from that Divine Personality or Essence,
then your plain duty is to pay no attention to the three
preceding characters, but to keep them under proper
control, and find out the way to the acquirement of the
knowledge of the Great Allah, in his three spheres or
stages of existence ; namely

(1) of JUi| Af, dl (Actions) ;

(2) of oUi^ Sifdt (Attribute?) and

(3) of o|i Zdt (Essence).

By such a knowledge you will be able to enjoy the
vision and companionship of the Great Allah and to
acquire His attributes. On this point a poet-saint says :
"Put your first step on your own self (by renouncing
your personality) and next step in the street of your
Friend (Allah)."(')

10 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

MAN'S ORIGINAL CHARACTER.

I shall now try to explain the method for finding
out your original character. I have already cited one
Hadis Sharif (Tradition) and some passages from the
OorAn Sharif to prove the superiority of Man over the
entire creation.

Now let us make an analytical examination of the
whole question. It is found in the laws of the Great
Law-Maker that if any thing has a special attribute to
its perfection, for which it is superior to all others of
its class, having that attribute, its creation is especially
intended by the Great Creator for the utilization of that
particular attribute. I shall explain this theory by an
illustration. Horse is superior to Ass ; because. Ass
is created simply for th* purpose of carrying burdens;
whereas, Horse is created for the conveyance of swift
riders and warriors. The most powerful Creator has
given Horse the special attribute or qualification of
swift-running, Which is not given to Ass. On the other
hand. Horse possesses also the capacity of carrying bur-
dens like Ass. So Ass is not superior to Horse in any
respect ; but Horse is superior to Ass in swift-running.
Therefore Horse is created for swift-running. Again
when Horse loses that superior or special attribute of
swift-running, he comes down to the level of Ass and
is used as the beast of burden. This is the fall or
death of Horse from his original character or attribute.

MAN'S ORIGINAL CHARACTER. **

There is a class of philosophers who believe that
nothing of Man exists after his physical death ; therefore
Man has, during his physical existence in this material
world, no other object except the attainment of pleasure
in its various forms and the gratification of animal desires.
This is called the Epicurian Philosophy of ancient
Greeks. They summed up the total of their existence
in thf* sentence "eat, drink and be merry". The
materialistic tendencies of present Europe and America
almost amount to the same creed. Although in Asia,
believers of such a philosophy, as a class, do not exist
at the present age, yet we come across individual persons
occasionally who profess such a faith.

There is another class of philosophers who think
that man is created for fighting with, and dominating,
others, like Tatars, Kurds and Turks of the ancient age,
and The Balkan nations of the present time, in the
name of civilization and humanity.

Both of these notions are groundless and incorrect.
Because if these be the objects of Man's existence in
this world and the cause of his superiority, he is inferior
to many animals in these respects ; The Bull possesses
more .power of eating than Man ; and Lion, Tiger and
other ferocious animals have gut more physical strength
and anger than Man. So in these attributes these
animals are superior to Man. And this conclusion is
evidently contradictory to the 'original hypothesis that
'Man is the noblest of the creation. 1 Yet Man possesses
these attributes, though in an inferior degree, and,

12 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

stands at a lower level than many irrational animals.
Therefore Man is not created for eating, righting and
satisfying other animal attributes.

Hence, there must be something else for which Man
is universally recognized as the noblest of the creation ;
and this "something else," according to modern philoso-
phers of materialistic school, is Reason, the special pro-
perty of Man, not possessed by any other class of
animals, in the entire world.

But Musalman Sufi Philosophers of spiritualistic
school say that this "some thing else" is the Human
Soul, the special gift of the Great Allah to Man, and
the s^JU) Aindnat (Trust) alluded to in the Holy
Qoran, not given to any other animal, or any thing else,
in the whole creation. This Soul has come from the
highest essence of Divinity and is the medium between
Man and the Great Allah, which will be explained here-
after.

The relative position of Soul and Reason will also be
explained in the succeeding lectures.

This "Human'Soul" must be distinguished from the
"Animal Spirit" which will be also explained hereafter.
The "Reason" according to Islamic school of philo-
sophy, is only a part of the "Thought" which includes
the "five internal senses," by which food is supplied to
the "Intellect", which again is only an attendant or
attribute of Soul.

Then comes the question "Why Intellect is given to
Man ?" The reply is, it is bestowed on him for his guid-

MAN'S ORIGINAL CHARACTER. 13

ance, to serve him as a minister, by the help of which
he may save himself from the influence of passion?,
anger, and other animal and satanic propensities, and to
acquire the knowledge of the secrets of Creation, and of
the Essence of the Creator. Thus Intellect is the special
attribute and character of Human Soul. By the autho-
rity of this Soul and the light of this Intellect Man can
command the entire Universe, as the Qoran Sharif
says :

"Do you not see that God has placed every thing
in Heavens and on Earth under your command, and has
bestowed on you all His favours, open and secret?" 1

The existence of Soul is evident to every one. No
one doubts his own existence. But his existence does
not depend upon the existence of his material body ;
because even a dead man has his material body. But it
then represents an inanimate object, liable to rapid
decomposition. If any one shuts his eyes and forgets
himself and the entire material world, even then he
realises his own existence, although he is totally uncon-
cious of what is going on in the material* world. If any
one concentrates his attention in this way, he is sure to
understand something of the spiritual world ; and he
shall realize and believe, even without any practical

L-

14 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

training in the school of spiritual philosophy, the prob-
ability of the existence of Soul after the body is taken
away from it.

Now, when the superiority of Man over other crea-
tions is on account of the Soul, which is not possessed
by any thing else, he is created for the utilization of the
powers of that Soul ; and, as the Soul has come from
Divine Essence, Man's original character is therefore,
according to all Musalman Doctors of Siifiism, that of
the Great Allah Himself. His other three characters, in
which he is on common level with other classes of crea-
tions, are, therefore, called the 'auxiliary characters/

Now, the question may arise '"Why these auxiliary
characters ase given to you ?" It is absurd and foolish to
suppose that they are given to you for no purpose at all.
Of their connection with you, one of the two alternative
cases is sure to arise

(1) Either these characters are intended to be your
master and to keep you (your soul) under their com-
mand and make you serve their objects ; or

(2) you are intended to be their master and to keep
them employed in your service for the accomplishment
of your objects.

Undoubtedly you should choose the latter situation,
and then, during the journey you have before you, you
should make some of them your conveyance and others,
your arms; so that during the few days of your sojourn
in this world you may employ them as your instruments,
and through their help you may secure and sow here the

MAN'S ORIGINAL CHARACTER. 1$

seed of your good fortune or salvation in the after world.
When your journey through this world is successfully
terminated and you reach in safety your destination
the station of permanent rest wherein lies your good
fortune, you may dispense with their services.

You may ask -" What is this station of permanent
rest/' This has been a subject of complicated discuss-
sions and controversies not only among the professors
of different religions, but also among the theologians
of different schools in Islam. It is not my desire to
enter into any controversial discussion of this particular
branch of the subject; but I would simply mention here
the view held by Sufis. They divide this station of per-
manent rest into two stages: one for general Mu'rninm
(believers), and the other for the special students
(devotees) of the spiritual philosophy of Islam. In the
the firbt stage, it means v^i^ix^ Bihisht (paradise), or a
place for the peaceful rest and blissful enjoyment of
Soul ; and in the second, it means the Holy, Sublime
and Divine Sphere about the highest Essence of the
Great Allah Himself.

If you want to raise yourself from the statuses of
Animal, Satan and Angel to that of perfect Man or
Divinity, it is necessary that you should know all about
these different characters you are composed of, so that
you may know something of your Self. Those who
consider themselves perfect men, on account of their
physical or intellectual vigor, without knowing the
secrets of different internal components in the nature of

16 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Man, are surely unfortunate, and are in total darkness
as to the real object of religion and the creation of Man.

TWO COMPONENTS OF MAN.

The first step in acquiring the knowledge of your
self is to know that Man is mainly composed of two
components ; namely

(1) The external matter or physical Body; and

(2) The internal essence or Soul.

The former can be seen by external eyes, but the
latter, by internal light only. This internal essence can
not be seen by external eyes ; and your own secret is
this Essence, called the Soul. This Soul is the Com-
mander or Ruler of all other elements in you, which
stand in the position of its servants and attendants. For
Man, to know his person thoroughly, it is necessary that
he should first of all know the details in the construction
of his Body. Therefore, 1 shall at first briefly explain
the physical construction of the first component in Man,
the Body, and r shall explain the second component, the
Soul, and its propertied latterly.

There are many wonders in the composition of
Man's body. Even every organ of the Body, external
and internal, possesses innumerable wonders and secrets.
There are several thousand veins, arteries and bones in
Man's body, every one of which is made in different
shapes, with different attributes, for different objects ;
and you are ignorant of all of them. What you know is

THE COMPONENTS OF MAN- I/

that the hands are made for catching, the feet for walk-
ing, the tongue for speaking, and so on. But you
bhould also know that the eye is, according to Musalman
opticians of old school, made often otJuJft tabqdt (layers).
If any one of these ten layers gets out of order, the sight
becomes defective. You do not know for what purpose
each of these layers is made, and why sight depends on
the combined actions of all of them. The dimension of
the eye is known to you ; but why such a shape is given
to the eye is certainly to you a mystery. The special
branch of optical science formed the subject of anxious
researches during the days of Kheldfat at Bagdad, and the
palmy days of M tisalm&ns in Spain. European opticians
of modern school give also interesting descriptions of
this subject.

Your ignorance of all these wonderful and ingenious
arrangements is not a matter of curiosity. You do not
know for what purpose the different internal organs
the t^JS qalb (heart), the J^. jigar (liver), the Jta*b

tihfil (spleen), the sJtj sahrah (bile), the jul/ ' kulyah, (kid-
ney) and other organs are placed at different quarters of
your Body. According to Musalman Doctors of Medical
Science, the functions of the liver is to draw the essence
of food from the bowels and reduce it to one colour and
quality ; and also to render it fit to serve as nourishment
for the entire system of body. In the liver this essence
is purified and formed into blood ; after which a sedi-
ment stands underneath the blood in the liver, called

2

l8 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

)jy soudd (maniac germ) in Muhammadan medical
phraseology. The spleen draws that soud& from the
liver. Then a yellow foam is gathered over the blood
called Lk^ safrti (bilious germ). The duty of the bile
is to extract or expunge that safra from the blood.

At this stage, the blood, coming out of the liver, re-
mains thin and acquous. The heart expunges the
watery portion from the blood. At this stage, the pure
blood, free from maniac, bilious and watery germs, is
circulated throughout the entire system.

If biles gets out of order, safni (bilious germ) re-
mains in the blood, which generates bilious diseases like
jaundice &c.

If spleen gets out of natural order, souda (concupis-
cence or maniac matter) remains in the blood, producing
mental complications, such as melancholia, mania and
other brain diseases of the class of insanity.

If kidney becomes disordered, water remains in the
blood, which generates dropsy and similar watery diseases
in human Body.

Similarly, every one of both the external and inter-
nal organs of Man is created for a particular object,
without which the system of human Body becomes de-
fective, and the physical machinery gets out of natural
order, the details of which need not be entered into here.

The knowledge of these details of the composition
of human Body is embodied in Muhammadan Medical
Jurisprudence, called ^fiJ JU l Ilm-i-Tashrih! (Science
of Anatomy).

THREE OF THE ATTRIBUTES GF DIVINITY. 19

It is a wonderful and interesting science. But
people do not generally care to acquire its knowledge.
Few men that learn it do so for its use in medical
science, which enriches only a limited sphere, but never
out of any religious motive.

My object in describing some of the organs of human
body is simply to enlighten you on the fact that thou-
sands of workers of different occupations are all
employed within you, in your service, for your ease and
comfort, and you are enjoying the sound sle^p of
ignorance. None of these workers takes any rest in
your service, and yet you are utterly unacquainted with
them ; nor even have you ever cared to express a word
of gratitude to One Who has sent them for your service.
If any man lends you his servant to help you in your
works for a day, you will not forget this favour in your
whole life, and will ever remain grateful to him. But
you do nofc even remember Him Who has kept so many
thousand servants engaged, day and night, in your
service, without a moment's rest, during your whole life,
'much less to be grateful to Him.

THREE OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF DIVINITY.

If any one takes the trouble of entering deeply into
this subject, for learning the wonders and secrets of this
Creation, he will inevitably come to the following three
conclusions :

2O THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

1. That the Maker of the human body is the most
powerful and perfect worker, whose working capabilities
admit of no defect. He is powerful to do whatever He
wishes. So the Holy Qorari says :

"He is capable of doing whatever He wishes". 1
Nothing is more astonishing in this world than that a
man should be created out of a drop of impure water.
For One, Who can do this, to recreate a man after his
death, in the day of Qiyamat (Resurrection), is far
easier. So He is called fjUa* ji>t3 Qddir-i-Mutlaq

(Omnipotent).

2. That He is a great J(x 'Alim (Wise or Learned);
and that His wisdom and knowledge is of such a nature
and so far-reaching, that He penetrates into every thing
and is cognizant of the minutest incident and action
that takes place in the whole Creation. The creation
of such faultless, wonderful, philosophic and scientific
works would have been impossible, unless their Creator
possessed unlimited and faultless knowledge. So He
is called ^^\ ^Lc *Alim-ul-Gaib (Omniscient).

3. That He is ^ ^\ Rahim (Kind and Merciful)*
His kindness, mercy and generosity for His creatures
are unlimited and infinite. Nothing is withheld from
Man that is necessary for the completeness of human
composition, external and internal. The three vital

THREE OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF DIVINITY. 21

organs, the indispensable necessities of animal life,
namely liver, heart and brain are bestowed on him.
Besides, a second class of organs are given to him,
which though not vital, are very useful to him ; such as,
hands, feet, tongue, eyes &c. And lastly, a third class
of things are also given to him, which are neither vital
nor useful, but simply enhance his beauty and grandeur ;
such as blackness of hair, 1 redness of lips, oblique figure
of eyes, arches of eye-brows, roundness of head &c.
Such favours are bestowed not on Man alone, but also
on other beings. Even wasps, mosquitos and flies
have been supplied and adorned with all that are
necessary for life, use and beauty. So He is called the

4 4 xx x

^^.]J\ +sy] Arham-ur-Rdhimin (The most merciful

of all mercifuls).

So a minute analytical examination of the details of
Man's physical composition is a key to the knowledge
of oUu> Sif&t (attributes) of the Great Allah. The
value and merit of the Science of Anatomy is based far
more on the fact that it leads to the knowledge of the
attributes of the Great Allah than on the insignificant
consideration that it is an important factor and indis-
pensable necessity for the development of Medical
Science. The more you become conversant and familiar
with poetical, philosophical and literary works, and w^th
works on arts, the more you feel admiration for the
abilities of poets, philosophers, authors and artists.

i. This is an Asiatic idea.

22 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Similarly, the more you may become conversant and
familiar with the knowledge of the beauties and wonders
of the Creation, the more shall it lead you to the know-
ledge of the attributes of the Great Creator. This is a
chapter of the knowledge of Man, comprising, of course,
only an unimportant and small sphere, as it refers only
to the Body which is perishable and is merely a con-
veyance, the rider of which is the Soul.

But so fer must be mentioned that the acquirement
of the knowledge of your self is not an easy task, al-
though nothing is closer to you than your own person.

DEFINITION OF THE SOUL.

Before I carry you through the chapter relating to
the properties of the Soul, I consider it desirable to
give you a rough definition of the Soul. I use the word

* rough,' because, neither the Great Allah nor His Chief
Messenger has defined it in any clear and appropriate
language. The soul is therefore roughly defined as

* the internal essence or psycic germ and indestructible
or imperishable reality or existence of Divine nature
in Man. 1 The main seat of this Soul in that piece of
flesh which is known as ' Heart. 1 But the heart of
flesh, which is possessed even by irrational animals and
dead men, is not the Soul itself, but is simply its con-
veyance. Because, it belongs to the visible or material
world, called in the technical phraseology of Sufis

WHENCE HAS MAN COME? 23

JLc *Alam-i-Shah&dat (visible world). But the

Soul does not belong to 'Alam-i-Shah&dat. It has come
here as a J*\~** Mus&fir (Travellei), and has joined the
physical body for some particular object. All the
organs of the Body are its soldiers and attendants. The
Soul is the King or Ruler of this Kingdom, the Body.
The acquirement of the knowledge and the realization
of the vision of the Great Allah are the duties of that
King or Ruler. The cares and troubles in the discharge
of the duties of ^JjJo Bandegi (prayer and service)
lie mainly with this Soul. All orders comprising
*} Amr-i-mtfruff and Nehi-i-Munkar

(commands and prohibitions) of \~_r?\ & Shari'at (doc-
trines of dogmatic Isl&m), and all <_>Lj saw&b (rewards
for virtues) and all ^\c azdb (punishments for sins),
and all good fortunes and misfortunes in the after-world,
are intended for this Soul. In all these matters the
Body is subordinate to the Soul. Therefore, the know-
ledge of the attributes and secrets of the Soul is the
key to the knowledge of the attributes and secrets of
the Great Allah.

WHENCE HAS MAN COME ?

After you have known that Man is composed of-

(1) The Body, and

(2) The Soul,

24 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

and that the former is subordinate to the latter, and
after you have known something of the details of the
composition of the Body, your next step is to acquire
the knowledge of the Soul. In defining the Soul 1 have
already said that it is an "etherial essence, an impalpable
and indestructible reality or existence of Divine nature/'
Now I enlighten you on the fact, which may appear
astounding to many of you, that the original mine of
this Soul is the Holy Personality or Essence of the
Great Allah Himself.

The word ' personality ' is not intended here to mean
any ' Physical Body' but simply to imply "the bodiless,
nameless and attributeless Divine Existence." The
Soul has come from such an Essence of the Great Divi-
nity, as the Great Allah Himself says in the Qoran
Sharif :

" When your Lord told the angels, 'verily, I am
creating man out of clay, and when I shall have organiz-
ed his Body and breathed the soul into him from Myself,
then do prostrate all of you before him." 1

The existence of the Soul has already been ascer-
tained and established. Your next step therefore is to
ascertain the secrets ot the Soul. Then you should

*;Jtsoi (l)

/

, II ' . * A/x ' ^ : * 4 ^

DLAM A.J/ JtCL> ,^*M 1 ..r / * A * Vii-JCUt> j d JO*.^

THE SECRETS OF THE SOUL. ^5

know the attendants under its command, and its rela-
tion with thobe attendants and their respective duties.
Having proceeded so far, you shall have to acquire the
knowledge of the properties of the Soul, and then to
determine how by means of this knowledge Man be-
comes capable of acquiring the holy and sublime know-
ledge of the Great Allah Himself.

THE SECRETS OF THE SOUL.

What is really this Soul and what are its secret
properties it is not permitted by ci~*> +& Sharl'at
(Code of the Procedure of dogmatic doctrines of Islam)
to divulge in a public manner. It is on this account
that even the Great Messenger of Islam has not given
any clear and open explanation of the inherent proper-
ties of the Soul. He, however, imparted secret practical
lessons on this subject to some of his select disciples,
amongst whom conspicuous were

1. Hadrat Abubakar Siddiq, (R. A.)

2. Hadrat 'Omar Fdruq, (R. A.)

3. Hadrat 'Osmdn Gan^ (R. A.)
4: Hadrat 'AH Martuzd, (R. A.)

5. Hadrat Imdm Hasan, (R. A.)

6. Hadrat Imdm Husain, (R. A.)

7. Hadrat Wats Qarani, (R. A.)

8. Hadrat Abu Hurairah (R. A.)

Regarding the fourth of these eminent teachers of IslA,m,
the Great Prophet has said

26 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"1 am the fortified town of knowledge and Ali is
its gate." 1

The spiritual teachers of the present age also follow
tfceir Great Prophet in imparting practical spiritual les-
sons of higher order in secret to select and qualified
disciples only.

The only explanation as to the properties of the Soul
given in the Qoran Sharif is to be found in the passage
wherein the Great Allah addressing His Great Messen-
ger says :

"They will ask you about the Soul. Tell them, 'the
Soul is from the commands of my Lord/ 1 *

So the Great Prophet was not directed to give a
clearer explanation of the Soul, beyond saying that it
belongs to the class of the commands of the mighty
Providence.

There is another passage in the Holy Qoran which
runs thu? :

" Are not the worlds of creations and of commands
His ? " 8

From these extracts it is evident that

L Jl

s'

S & / / A * */* / SS

pLal) &JkV U|

THE SECRETS OF THE SOUL. %T

"Alam-i-Khalq (world of material creations) and y*| J.et

'Alam-i-Amr (world of commands) are two different
worlds or spheres. What comprises objects that are
capable of measurement and division is called jfiA. Jle

'Alam-i-Khalq. But the Soul of Man is immeasurable
and indivisible. Hence in this sense it is not included
in 'Alam-i-Khalq (world of material creations). In
other words, it is not a created material being. But
the Soul is something which is created with the quality
of being immeasurable and indivisible.

Hence in this sense it is among the ATakhl&q
(created) with the peculiar characteristic of being
immeasurable and indivisible. But I have already
explained to you that the Soul belongs to the world of
commands and not to the world of creations of divisible
and measurable nature ; because, the world of commands
comprises things which do not possess the capacity of
division and measurement.

There is a class of philosophers who believe that
the Soul is ^j3 qadim (independent, eternal and self-
existent). But such a notion is incorrect and is not
sanctioned by Islam.

There is another class of philosophers whose theory
is that the Soul is an attribute. This also is not accepted
by Islam. Because the attribute can not stand by itself
without a substance on which it is always dependent.
But the Soul is the master in Man, and is not dependent
on any thing. So the Soul can not be an attribute.

28 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

There is a third class of philosophers who say that
the Soul is only a composition of heart and blood.
Hence it is a physical matter. This is also incorrect ;
because matter is measurable and divisible and the Soul
is immeasurable and indivisible.

THE TWO CLASSES OF SOULS.
The Soul is known as . , Ruk in Islamic Philo-

sophy and as r s^] Atmd in Hindu Philosophy. Man
has two souls ; namely

1. ^3%=* r y) Riih-i-Haiw&ni (the Animal Spirit)

or sfWil J'ib-Atm&\ and

2. ^JLJ) j Ruh-t-Insdni (the Human Soul) or

*f*RF9Tl Param-AtmA.

The former is common to all classes of animals including
Man ; while the latter especially belongs to Man, and
is a gift to him from his Great Creator. Referring to
this Rfth the Great Allah Himself says in the. Holy
Qor&n that He breathed Soul from Himself into the
body of Hadrat Adam (A. S.). It is this Ruh-i-Ins&ni
or Human Soul, that possesses the capacity of acquiring
the knowledge and enjoying the vision of the Great
Allah. The irrational animals, as distinguished from
rational animals (men) do not possess this Soul. It is
neither substance nor attribute, but an etherial essence
of Divine nature. It is very difficult to understand its

THE T\\O CLASSES OF SOULS. 2&

properties thoroughly. Intellect can not comprehend
it, and language can not describe it. Shari 'at (dogmatic
Iblam) does not permit a free and open explanation of its
properties, as they are unnecessary for the students of
Shari 'at. Such explanations form the subjects of
instructions to those select disciples of e^JuJb Tariqat
(esoteric or internal learning) only who have made a
fair progress in the practical lessons of this wonderful
philosophy and in spiritual advancement which is the
only path to Divine knowledge.

Even for the beginners in the school of practical
spiritual philosophy, or SAfiism, a knowledge of these
secret doctrines is unnecessary. Elementary lessons in,
this school are

1. oj| ; l Irddat (Faith);

2. ci~*# Bai { at (to plight faith in Allah and in

His prophets in the hands of a jj Peer and
to accept him as Spiritual Guide); and

3. ci^>U Reyadat (practical exertions in self-

denial, resignation and spiritualization).
If after passing through these three stages, any ardent
seeker of Divine knowledge continues his fiery zeal, the
Great Allah Himself leads the way and guides him on
to Himself, as He has promised in His Holy Qoran which,
says "Those who have exerted to get Me, I guide them
on in the path to Me". 1

(I)

3O THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Until a student finishes his entire course of Reyadat
(practical exertions) it is unwise to explain to him
the secret properties of Human Soul ; as they are not
ordinarily comprehensible to beginners and there is
apprehension of misguidance for want of proper con-
ception. In his primary course the student should also
know the armies and attendants he has to command,
without which it is impossible for him to carry on the
Jiktid ,'crusade) of life to a successful issue.

For lovers, if you know, there is a higher world than
this visible creation.

If you want to know the attributes of God, look at
Adam, or Man, as His perfect manifestation.

When you will denounce your self unto you, you
will find entrance into the inner sphere of Divine Love.

THE TWO CLASSES OF SOULS. 31

If you play on Ckung (a musical instrument) the
tune of Love, you will hear from the sounds of its
strings :

Jo

JJ

That by the internal eye of your heart do not see
any thing else except your Friend (Allah) ; and what-
ever you observe know it to be a manifestation of Him,

LECTURE II.

Holy Music is reaching my ear from every direction,
\\hich sings "There is nothing else except one God/'

j _ > j r

My soul, being unable to see your face, is making
like a dove, since many years, the incessent sound of
"kti ku/'

O zahid (orthodox) give up the idea of two (existence)
and come on in the path of Love with the unflinching
soul and unwavering faith (of the unity of Divinity).

If your spiritual ear has not turned out deaf, surely
will hear from every direction

WHERE SHALL MAN GO ? DEATH. 33

That by the internal light, or eye, of your heart
do not see any tning else, except your Friend (Allah).
Whatever you observe know it to be a manifestation of
Him.

WHERE SHALL MAN GO ? DEATH.

The existence of Man with his physical body, in this
material world, terminates with his physical death. To
make you understand the real meaning of death, it is
necessary to give a clearer explanation of the two souls
mentioned in the prec- ding lecture, namely ^yLj^x _ y

RCih-i-Htuwtinl (Animal Spirit) and JLJ) , Ruk-t-

Jnsanl (Human Soul). According to Musalman Doctors
,of Medical Science and Mental Philosophy, that piece
of flesh in animal body, which is known as 'heart', is
the mine or battery of ^l^v -yRtik-i-Haiwani (Anim-al

Spirit). This Ruh or Spirit is not independent or self-
existent, but is simply the resultant heat or bpark caused
by the internal chemical composition of animal, which
has acquired a 'normal nature'. This spark or Ru?i-i-
Haiwani generates movements in" the system of animal
3

34 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

body. When it reaches brain its heat diminishes, and
all the organs of five senses receive their respective
powers from the spark or heat thus tempered down in
the brain.

I shall further explain this theory by an illustration.
If you light a lamp in a dark room, all the walls of the
room shall instantly receive and reflect light. So t>y
the grace of Providence all the organs of five senses
receive their powers from Ruh~i~Halwdnt, If any of
the arteries, nerves or veins, through which the animal
heat runs from the main battery of Ruh-i-Haiwani to
the entire physical system of the Body, is blocked in
any organ of that Body and the passage of animal heat
is stopped, that particular organ becomes paralysed and
incapable of any movement or action. For example
the fire of a burning lamp re*emblrs Rilk-t-Haiwant ;
the wick resembles the heart ; the oil resembles the
animal food. If you take out oil the lamp goes out ;
similarly, if you stop food, the normal nature of
Ruk-i-Haiwani terminates, and the animal dies. If
there be an overflow of oil to the wick, the lamp goes
out ; similarly, if there be an overburden of food i
the stomach, also the animal dies. If the wick loses its
capacity to draw oil, the lamp goes out ; similarly, if
the heart,, in the natural course of time, or for any
special cause, loses its capacity to draw the essence of
food, the animal dies. If you throw something on the
burning wick, the lamp goes out, although the oil ctf

WHERE SHALL MAN GO? DEATH. 35

the lamp is in sufficient quantity and the wick is in
proper order ; similarly, if an animal receives a severe
blow on some vital organ, the animal instantly dies,
although all the vital organs of that animal are in perfect
order, and there is a sufficient quantity of food in the
stomach.

If Ruh-i-Haiwani is in its normal nature and perfect
older, and commands movements of all the different
organs of the body, it becomes capable, by the grace of
the Almighty, of receiving light from the angelic world.
If, however, on account of excessive heat or cold, or any
other cause, this Rtih loses its normal nature, it loses
also its capacity to receive such lights As for instance,
it a mirror possesses its normal quality it receives the
reflection of things placed before it. But if that mirror
becomes rusted and worn out, it loses the capacity of
receiving reflections. In the latter case, it is incorrect
to conclude that the things have ceased to exist, because
their reflections are not visible in the mirror. The
rational conclusion is that the mirror has lost its normal
quality. Similarly, if the Ruh-i-Haiwant of an animal
loses its. normal nature or character, it loses also its
command over the movements of the organs of the body
of that animal : and therefore it becomes also deprived
of the capacity ot receiving lights from the angelic
world. This is called Animal Death ; and at this stage
'Ruh'i-Haiwani also dies out. Here Ruh-i-Haiwani
terminates ; and beyond this stage it has no existence.

36 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

The Agent who concentrates all these causes which make
the Ruh-i-Haiwani lose its normal nature, resulting in
animal death,is a created being among the creations of the
Great Allah, called the c^J! cjCU Malak-ul-Mout or
JjjL LC 'Azrail (angel of death). People know him by
his name ; but to know him perfectly requires the
practical training of highest order in spiritual philosophy,
or Sufiism.

So far I have explained to you simple animal death.
But human death is of a different nature ; because, as
I have already explained, besides Rfik-i-Haiwam(&mm;\\
Spirit) Man has another Rtik, called Ruh-i-Insanec
(Human Soul). I have told you that Ruh-i-Haiwani is
a heat or spark, not a matter ; yet it has a form. But
RAh-i-lnsant has no form and is single and perfectly in-
divisible. So this Rfik alone can acquire the knowledge
of the Great Allah, Who is also Single and Indivisible.
Nothing which is divisible can acquire the knowledge
of indivisible Allah. I shall cite a rough example.
Though it does not bear resemblance in all its bearing, it
possesses similarity in many important features, and will
give you a fair idea of their respective connections and
situations. For example : take a burning lamp. The
wick uf the lamp resembles the human body ; the fire
resembles the Rfih-i-Haiwani ; and the light which
illuminates the environment resembles the R&h-i-Insani.
The illustration is correct only with regard to different
stages of fineness or thinness ; but it is incorrect with

WHERE SHALL MAN GO? DEATH. 37

regard to the dependency of the one on the other. In
the first case the light of the lamp is dependent on the
fire of the lamp, and this light ceases to exist with the
extinction of the fire ; whereas the RAh-i-lnsant is not
dependent on the Rdh-i-Haiwam, but on the other hand,
the former does exist even after the latter ceases to
exist. The illustration becomes perfect and complete if
we assume that the light, which is finer and thinner
than the fire of the lamp, is the cause, and its fire the
effect ; and that the latter is dependent on the former
and not the former on the latter.

From another point of view, the Ruhi-lnsani is the
rider t the Ruhi-Haiwani, its arm, and the Body its con-
veyance. When the normal nature of Ruhi-Haiwani is
lost, the body of Man dies ; but Ruhi-lnsani still conti-
nues to exit. It simply loses its conveyance and arm.
The death or loss of the conveyance and arm can never
be a cause for the annihilation of its rider. This con-
veyance, the body, is given to the rider, the Ruhi-lnsani,
simply to help him in acquiring the love and knowledge
of the 1 Great Allah. Let this 'love and knowledge' of
the Creator represent a game. If the game is bagged,
the lo'ss of conveyance and arm is not injurious to the
hunter ; rather it is beneficial to him, as he gets rid of
their burden and care. Referring to this class of death
the great propagator of Islam says

"For a Mu'min (Believer) death is a valuable
present."

3 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

But if, on the other hand, the conveyance and arm
are lost before the game is secured, undoubtedly such a
loss is very deplorable and injurious to the hunter. The
afflictions and troubles caused by such a loss is the first
stage of j epljo: l azab-i-qabar (punishment in the

tomb).

Suppose your hands and feet have become paralysed
and have lost their vitality. In such a case they are
practically dead ; yet your Self does exist. The death
of your hands and feet does not cause the annihilation
of your Self. Because they are not your Self, but are
instruments and arms for your use. Similarly, neither
your back nor your bowel, nor any other part of your
body, is your Self. If your entire body is paralysed
even then your Self does exist. The total paralysis of
your entire body is only called your ''physical death."
Therefore the death of your body does not necessarily
cause the death of your Self.

Again, take for instance, a man sixty years old. Now
at this stage of his age, the components of his physical
body are not the same which his body had while he was
an infant of six months age. During this sixty years
his body has undergone various changes. So his original
body is lost. Yet the Man exists and his Self is the
same. Therefore it is clear that your Self is not your
physical body. It is something else ; and even if your
body perishes this Something else' (your Self) does
exist. And this Self of yours, is your 'secret', your

WHERE SHALL MAN GO? DEATH. 39

Impalpable and indestructible reality/ your 'etherial
Essence of Divine Nature,' which we have called
"LJ) -,.j Rtihi-lnsani (Human Soul).

Regarding "death" the great mystic-poet and sufi-
philosopher Me ulana Jalaluddin Rumi says :

"(Addressir g his antogonist in the battle-field,
Had rat 'AH (A. S.) said "Although I see my enemy
with open eyes day and night ; yet I do not entertain
any enmity for him."

'Because, death is as pleasant to me as my life ; and
my death is inseparably blended with my revival. /. e.
immediately after my death I shall revive to life again."*

"Apparently though it is death, in reality it is life ;
and apparently though it is destruction, in reality it is
existence." 3

"As the birth of an infant from its mother's womb is
for proceeding to, and for flourishing in, another world
anew ; so death takes man from the limited sphere of

4O THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

material world to the unlimited region of spiritual
plane. 111

"Kill me, O my preserver, while chastising me ; as by
such a killing I shall secure immortal life."*

"Undoubtedly my real life lies in my death ; how long
shall I remain in separation from my home ?" 3

"Had not there been a migration from this residence
(material world), it would not have been said (in the
Holy Qoran)...'We shall all return to Him/'*

"One, who comes back to his own town, is returner
from the vareities of the manifestations of the material
world to the Unity of Divine Essence." f)

ijiJ | O-jJ 00*.

WHERE SHALL MAN GO? DEAtH. 4*

Again in another chapter the great Moulana says :

"Death of body in the devotion of Lord leads to real
life. Troubles of the Body contributes to the strength
and stability of the Soul." 1

"Death of every man, O my son, bears his own
colour ; as a transparent mirror reflects the colour of tie
thing placed before it." 2

"Before a Turk a mirror represents a beautiful
appearance, while before an African negro the same
mirror will reflect a dark figure." ;)

"You, who fear death, fear yourself, in fact Be
mindful, O my soul (beloved)."*

It is your own bad appearance, not the appearance
of death, that you fear ; as your soul is like a tree and
death like its leaf." 5

tjL} ( 3 )

42 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

* People go to market alike ; but one returns happy
and another afflicted." 1

''Similarly, all of us meet death alike ; but half of
us come out loser, and half gainer." 2

Regarding the death of Hadrat Belal (R. A.), who
was a favourite disciple of the Great Prophet and whose
duty was to call ^3! Azan (call to prayers), the famous
Moulana says :

"vVhen Belal became lean and bent down like a new
moon on account or his old age and symptoms of death
appeared on his face." :i

"His wife saw him and exclaimed 'Oh, this is horrible!'
But Belal replied her saying 'This is beautiful."*

"Up to this time I was in a horrible state on account
of being alive. What shall you know how pleasant
is death, and what it is ?""

__

o

J

'*)& J~ . )\

^ >* J^

)

.* ) & )* c.

=*J

fr*

* ^t-uJj (__

j6 ^U**4

O

WHERE SHALL MAN GO? DEATH. 43

"He was speaking thus, and during his speech his
appearance was flashing light like flowers called Nargis,
Guiburg and Lala" 1

"The brilliant colour of his face and eyes, besides
his lights, were testifying the truth of his speech."*

"His wife said 'O my charm (beloved), it is time for
separation/ He replied 'No no, it is time for Union.""*

"His wife said 'To-night you are going to a foreign
region, and are going to be separated from your relatives
for ever. 1 " 4

"He replied 'No no, my soul, rather, returns to-night
happy to its own home from a foreign country ?"' r>

O

' ( 3 )

44 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"Then asked his wife 'Where shall I see your face
in the evening again ?' He replied 'In the special privacy
of the Great Allah.'" 1

"The special Divine sphere is alwavs in yourself,
if you look towards the higher or spiritual world, not
towards the lower or material world."*

"In that sphere reflects the Divine light, from the
Lord of the world, as a diamond shedb lusture on
the ring." 3

"This material world became too limited a sphere
for prophets ; so they went to the spiritual world like
kings of that holy region." 4

U/ fij (a*f C^jj ^) V^ if ( r )

X X

()

jail *& ij ^

THE TWO HUMAN SENSATIONS. 45

THE TWO HUMAN SENSATIONS.

You have two classes of attributes which may be
called sensations or feelings:

(i). Sensations which occur in connection with the
Body, and can not occur without it, and which termi-
nates with your physical death ; such as hunger, thirst,
physical pains &c ; and

(2). Sensations which have no connection with the
Body, and can occur without it, and which continues
even, after your physical death ; such as the pleasures
derived from the knowledge and vision of the charming
and blissful beauties of the Spiritual World and Divine
Region. The Body and the sensations connected with
it have no access to that Sublime and Holy Sphere.

The latter is the special attribute of your Self or
Ruhi-Insani, which is interminable with your physical
death, and which will be your companion even in
the spiritual world, after death. These are called
e^-aaJU? oUS'j Baqiyati-Swalihat (good and permanent

X

companions).

If your Ruhi-Insani or Soul can not acquire the
knowledge and enjoy the vision of the Great Allah in
this pliysical world, while staying here with the Body,
this v^S^ Hijab (barrier of view or blindness) shall
formryour special attribute, and shall continue to be
your companion in the after-world. This is your real
misfortune, fall or hell, regarding which the Qoran
Sharif says :

4-C THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"One, who is blind in this world (from the vision of
the Great Allah), shall also be blind in the afterworld,
and is a stray wanderer from the path of salvation." 1

Now, you have learnt that the soul of Man (Ruhi-
Insani and not Ruhi-Haiwani) is independent, and
that it exists even without the help of the Body, For
the sake of its existence with its special attributes or
sensations, it is not dependent on the Body. Human
death does not mean the annihilation of Ruhi-lnsani,
but means simply its severance from, and discontinua-
tion of its command over, the Body. r &<x Hashr
(Resurrection) and ojlr| I.adat (Regeneration) do net
mean any re-creation of mankind after the total destruc-
tion of both the Body and the Soul ; but they mean
that the Soul shall again be pi jced in charge of the
Body, which will be gathered and placed under its
command once more as it was once before.

Such a re-creation during the Qiyamat (Day of Judg-
ment) shall certainly be a far easier task than the ori-
ginal work of creation ; because in Qiyamat re-creation
of only the Body shall "be necessary, while in the ori-
ginal work creation of both the Body and the Soul
were necessary.

(1

J>

4 .' XXX

THE SOUL IS IMMORTAL. 47

THE SOUL IS IMMORTAL.
Further, oolcl Fadat (regeneration) does not ne-

essarly mean that the identical Body which you have
it present shall be given to you on the day of re-
.urrection.

The Body represents a horse' and the Soul, its rider.
'( the horse is changed the rider remains the same.
Those Saints who by their d^ob. Royadat (practical
exertions) have acquired the power of enjoying the
^ision of the spiritual world, can by their internal light,
hemselves realize the truth that the death of the Phy-
sical Body does not cause the annihilation of the Soul.
Kor }jJUU> Muqallidan (Followers of dogmatic
ioctrines of religion) the authority of the Qoran Sharif
ind Hadis Sharif is sufficient, in support of this truth.
The Holy Qoran says.

"Do not reckon those, who have been killed in the
cause ot Allah, dead : nay, they are alive with their
Lord, rejoicing for what they have received from Allah,
out of His grace". 1

And from Hadis Sharif I quote here the language of
the Great Prophet, who after the famous battle of Badar,

AX * XX A 4 X A AS > / t

l_Jb X> 0}y*| jJU) ^JjJuM J* |*Jj

X XX X X ^"" X

Jf

48 'JHE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

addressing his enemies, who weit kilkd during the fight
by their names, said :

<4 O such and such men, I have reaUy found Allah's
words regarding you to be true",

U O Messenger of Allah," asked ^ome of his follow-
ers, ''Why do you address dead men ? What is the use
of addressing them ?"

"By the Great Allah," replied the Holy Prophet,
tl they possess greater power of hearing than you. Only
they are unable to reply externally."

Therefore, know it certainly that by physical death
nothing of Man's Self and special attributes is destroyed
or lost. The only loss that that Self sustains is that of
the functions of physical organs.

Again, if a horseman is illiterate, he can not turn
out literate by the death of his horse. The converse
case is also true. So, if the rider be a man of powerful
sight, he does not become blind on the death of his
horse. The only change that takes place in his position
is that he becomes horseless. Similarly, if a man, while
staying with his physjcal body, in this material world,
is ignorant and deprived of the visions and blessings of
the spiritual world he will continue to be so even after
his physical death.

To those men, who have renounced their physical
comfort and have opposed vigorously the undue tenden-
cies of their animal and satanic natures towards the
material world, with perfect resignation to the will of

THE SOUL 18 IMMORTAL. 49

the Mighty Providence, and are constantly engaged in
His Jj Zikr (remembering Allah by using some
definite formula, according to the rules of practical
Sufism) the state or vision of the spiritual world, or
after-world, is revealed while they live in this material
world, with their physical bodies. Because, although
their JLj^ L J Arwah-i-PIaiwani (Animal Spirits)
whose attributes are ordinarily obstacles in the way of
the revelations of the spiritual world, have not lost
their normal nature, that is to say, although those saints
have not died physically, yet their spirits having been
kept under constant control and guidance, and having
imbibed the fear of the Great Allah, have been put
down almost to the level of dead men.

Therefore what are visible to ordinary men after
their physical death, are revealed to those saints during
their existence in this material world, i. e. before their
physical death. This subject embraces a very wide
province, yet in a brief sketch I have tried to explain
the meaning of Man's death, and the different properties
of Ruh-i-Haiw^ni and Ruhi-Insani. I have explained
to you that the material body and the Ruh-i-Haiwam
ire perishable and the Riih-i-Insani is imperishable ;
because it is Divine, and nothing Divine knows death.
Simply then I shall henceforward, for the fecility of
expression, use the word 'death' to signify 'physical
death', and the word 'Soul' to signify 'Ruh-i-Insant 1 or
'Human Soul'.
4

5O THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

THE SOUL RETURNS TO CREATOR.

I have already told you that the original mine of
the Soul is the Supreme Personality or Essence of the
Great Allah, and it has come from Him. Now, I tell yoj
also that after Man's death, the Soul is required to go
back to that Divine Essence ; and it will have to tender
its accounts one day before Him. There are several
passages in the Qoran Sharif in support of this theory,
out of which I cite the following :

"And to Him (Allah) shall all things return". 1
Again

'Holy is He, in whose hands is the kingdom of all
things ; and to Whom you shall return 11 . 2

ON WHAT BUSINESS MAN HAS COME TO

THIS STATION ON THE WORLD?

AND ARMIES UNDER THE SOUL.

Now, You have known that the Soul is the King or
Ruler of the king'iom of Body. In this kingdom the
King has an army consisting of various regiments of

f X* IX X

o

x x x x

ON WHAT BUSINESS MAN HAS COME TO THE WORLD 51

different classes. Regarding this army the Holy Qoran
-ays :

"No one knows the armies of your Lord except
Himself." 1

The Soul is intended for the spiritual world or
afterworld ; and its duty is to seek good fortune in that
world. The seed of this good fortune lies in acquiring
the Knowledge of the Great Allah in this material world.

1 have already told you that your first step should
be to acquire the knowledge of the Creation, which will
gradually lead you to the knowledge of the Creator
Himself. Now, the knowledge of the visible creation is
acquired by means of Ten Senses ; and these Senses
have their stations in the Body.

Take, for instance, the knowledge of the Great Allah
...as a game ; Ten Senses as the instruments and appli-
ances for securing that game ; and the Body as the
conveyance for the hunter and his instruments and
appliances. Hence, the necessity of the Body in the
expedition and struggle for securing the game. The
material Body, as I have explained, is composed of several
perishable elements. So it is weak and liable to death,
owing both to external and internal causes. The external
causes consist of fire, water, attacks of wild animal &c ;
and the internal causes consist of thirst, hunger, diseases

52 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

&c. Again, for repelling external enemies two classes
of armies are necessary :

(1) Hands, feet, and other organs ; and

(2) Anger, Passion, Judgment &c.

The internal causes, on the other hand, have necessi-
tated food and drink. These again require two classes
of armies, namely

(1) External such as hands, feet, stomach, teeth,
and others ; and

(2) Internal such as appetite for food, and thirst for
drink, and others

THE TEN MENTAL FACULTIES,

It is impossible to seek a thing, or to repel an enemy,
which you do not see and recognize. This has necessi-
tated the <Jic 'Aql (The power of understanding or
Intellect), which is given by Providence to your Self or
Soul. This Power or Intellect receives its food or vigour
from ten sources, five external and five internal. The

external Senses are culled >lt Hawds-i-Z&hir,

and the Internal Senses, ^Lb ^^ Haivas-i-Batin, or

the internal 'Thought/ The five External Senses are :

(1) yob cy Q&wat-i-Basirah (Sight),

(2) <ut*U oy Q&wat-i-Samiah (Hearing),

THE MIND. 53

(3) <L*l ci^'3 Qiiwat-i'Shammah (Smelling),

(4) dftj|3 oy> QCiwat-i-Zaiqak (Taste), and

(5) <u^}) o*3 Quwat-i-Lamisah (Touch); and the

live Internal Senses, included in the Thought are :

(1) JUa. oy Q tiwat-i-Khiyal (Abstraction),

(2) GJ oy? Qhwat-i-Tafakkur (Conception, Reason

ind Judgment),

(3) A&IA. oy Quwat-i-Hafizah (^Memory, Retentive),

(4) /jj oy Qnwat-i-Tazakknr (Memory Reproduc-

'ive), and

A

5) r uj c^^3 Quwat-i-Tawahhum (Imagination).

THE MIND.

Modern philosophers ot Europe recognize a faculty
which they call 'Mind', and they define it as "some thing
which acts and passes through successive states and pro-
cesses and at the same time is conscious of its acts and
states."

Bain, a most eminent philosopher of modern school^
says :

54 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

*' Human knowledge (experience or consciousness)
"falls under two great departments :

"(j) Matter (external world, not-self, non-Ego) or
" the Object : and

" (2) Mind (Internal World, Self, Ego) or the
" Subject ;

" Matter or Object is circumscribed by extension.
" Hence it is called extended. Mind in the Subject
" world is called 'the absence of extension' ; and in the
" material world is composed of and divided into :

" (i) Feeling,

" (2) Will or Volition, and

" (3) Thought or Intellect."

" Feeling is composed of pleasure, pain and exeite-
" raent.

" Will comprises all actions impelled by feeling.

" Thought or Intellect includes (a) Perception, (b)
" Memory, (c) Conception, (d) Abstraction, (e) Reason,
"(f) Judgment, and (g) Imagination.

" Mind can seldom operate exclusively in any one of
" these divisions."

Reid's definition of Mind is

" What thinks, remembers and wills."

Bain finds it defective, as it totally excludes Feeling,
and mentions Memory and Reason independently of each
other, while both of them are parts of Thought.'
r Reid classifies Mind into
J " (%>) Intellectual Powers, and
" (i) Aetive Powers."

THE MIND. 55

Dr. Brown's definition of Mind divides it into

"(i) External Affections, or Sensations, that is, the
44 feelings generated by Five Senses ; and

" (2) Internal Affections, which is sub-divided into

" (a) Intellectual State, and

" (b) Emotions."

Sir William Hamilton divides Mind into

"(0 Knowledge,

11 (2) Feeling, and

" (3) Will."

Following is the order, as given by Bain, of the three
attributes of Mind :

" First, Discrimination, (Movement, Sense and

" Instinct) ;

"Secondly, ..The Intellect ;

" Thirdly, ...The Emotion ; and

"Fourthly,. ..The Will."

The physical organs related to mental process are/

" I. The Brain and Nerve ;

" II. The Organ of movements, or the Muscles ;

" III. The Organs of Senses ; and

" IV. The Viscera (including Alimentary Canal,
"The Lun^s, the Heart &c.) "

" Brain is the principal, though not the sole, organ
" of Mind, and its functions are mental/ 1

Bain's definition of Mind is :

"(i) Consciousness of difference ;

" (2) Consciousness of agreement ; and

*' (3) Retentiveness (Mernory).

56 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

But the Musalmftn philosophers of ancient school,
such as Imam GazAli, Imam Muhiyuddin Al-Arabi,
Sheikh Bii-AW Sinfi, and others, do not recognize any
such independent faculty as ' Mind.' From their wri-
tings on this subject it appears that ' the something '
which modern philosophers call ( Mind ' is a combina-
tion of several properties of Jic Aql (the Intellect),
including t>U lradah,(W\\\).

In placing side by side the two theories of Mental
Science (i) The Theory of the Muhamedan philoso-
phers of old school, and (2) The Theory of the European
philosophers of modern school my object here is not
to point out any correctness or incorrectness ot either of
these theories, but simply to show that, while, on the
one hand, the modern philosophers have totallly exclu-
ded Divinity from Man, in explaining his mental func-
tions, or at least, have not taken into consideration,
which amounts to an indirect denial of the connection
of Man's Self, Ego or Soul, with the Divine Essence
the Mussalmfin philosophers, on the other hand, have
based their Theory mainly on this connection of Man
with Divinity, Hence, all the mental faculties of Man,
according to this school, originate from Divine forces
working in him, subject to other counteracting causes,
which originate from Animal, Satanic and Angelic
character of Man.

THE FUNCTIONS OF TEN MENTAL FACULTIES. 57

THE FUNCTIONS OF TEN MENTAL FACULTIES.

Each of the ten Mental Faculties recognized by
Musalman philosophers, just explained by me, has
a function especially allotted to it. If any one of
these faculties gets ort of order, both the worldly and
religious businesses of Man fall into disorder and
derangement. All these faculties (armies) are under the
command of the Soul. That the Soul is the King of the
kingdom, called the Body, and the Commander of the
army stationed therein, I have already explained.

The tongue speaks only when this King orders it
to speak. Similarly, the eyes see only when the King
orders them to see. No limb of Human Body can move
or engage itself to any work, unless it is directed by the
King (the Soul) for the purpose. This order or direc-
tion is called the iM Jradah (Will). So all the physi-
cal movements and mental processes of Man are con-
ducted by this Will, which generates from the Soul.

Now, all these Ten Mental Faculties have been
subordinated by the Great Allah to the Mighty Will
of the Soul, for the protection of the Body, so long as
the necessary commissariats are not collected, the ar-
rangements for the after-world are not completed, the
*eeds for the good fortune in the after-world are not
sown here, and the game is not bagged.

The arrangement in maintaining and controlling
these armies resembles the arrangement in maintaining
and controlling the armies of angels, who are willing

5& THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

and obedient and unflinching in the discharge of their
duties. It resembles also the administrative arrange-
ment of the temporal government of a country. To
make the explanation more vivid and comprehensible,
I shall cite an illustration. Take for example, Man's
Body to resemble a big country ; his hands, feet, and
other limbs as its industrial citizens, Passion as the
Collector of Revenue, Anger as the Police, Intellect
as the Minister, and the Soul as the King of that
country.

You can easily understand that the King indispensa-
bly requires all these officers to govern, and the citizens
to populate, his country. But Passion, the Collector of
Revenue, is a dishonest officer who sometimes goes
astray, in disobedience to the orders of the wise Minis-
ter, the Intellect. In the pretence of collecting Revenue v
he wants to extort, for his own benefit, all the proper-
ties of the citizens. Anger the Police, is also a very
energetic and able officer, but a scoundrel ; as he wants
always to fight with and kill others. Therefore the duty
of the King is to consult always his wise Minister, the
Intellect, to keep under proper control the dishonest
Collector, the Passion, and the energetic, but trouble-
some Police, the Anger, and to check the arbitrary
actions of other subordinates, so that in their respec-
tive jurisdictions, they may not cause any oppression
on the citizens, and create disturbance in the kingdom.

When the entire administration of a country is car-
ried on in this manner, it is said to be a well-adminis-

THE FUNCTIONS OF TEN MENTAL FACULTIES. 59

tered and wisely governed country. Similarly, when
the Soul, the King, conducts all officers of his Kingdom,
the Body, in accordance with the advice of his Minister,
the Intellect, and keeps Passion and Anger under pro-
per subjugation and guidance of the Intellect, and does
not allow them to exercise any superiority over the latter,
the management of the Body goes on satisfactorily and
agreeably and the process of spiritualization becomes
easier. Such a man can not be thrown out of the path
to, and deprived of the vision of, the Great Allah. On
the other hanl, if a man allows Intellect to be subjugat-
ed by Passion and Anger, the Kingdom of the Body
becomes devastated, and the King, the Soul, becomes
weak and unfortunate, and is ultimately dethroned and
imprisoned by his enemies.

r

4. \j .X/* <L)L*J L-JO & _&>. ^

f '!/ *' " > >'

I relate the story of Divine Lovers, and do not deal
with fictions like others,

jl X-* &J ^xJDkJ % A> L /*<

The secrets of asceticism and Oneness with utmost
solicitations I disclose to ascetics and Unitarians.

(JLJI^J

60 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

I knock at the door of self-forgetfulness and regard
the intellectual plane as a stage of phantoms.

+ -- Sjt. - Jl/o dJj, - J ^ - J) .cV^O

When I learnt the true secrets of the inner world,
constantly I sing the song,

That by the internal eyes of your Heart do not see
any thing else, except your Friend, (The Allah). What-
ever you observe know it to be a manifestation ot Him.

LECTURE-III.

_j j a

One, who has once seen Your Holy Face, has turned
his eyes from all the beauties of the world.

jb j, _ ./*lj

One, who has once drunk the cup of your love, has-
not come back to his senses in his whole life.

Last night, in a dream, I found myself at the gate
of a grand palatial residence of spiritual devotees.

I knocked at the door, and suddenly a voice came-
from within

THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

That by the internal eyes of your heart do not see
any thing else, except your Friend, the Allah. What-
ever you observe, know it to be a manifestation of
Him.

FOR WHAT OBJECT MAN IS CREATED?
{< I have not created genii and men except for my

service." 1

So says the Great Allah in the Holy Qoran, stating
the object for which Man is created.

This service of the Mighty Creator, which, in th<"
technical language of Islam is called o^Ur 'Jbadaf 9 is
divided into two classes :

i. \^Me ooUr 'Ibadat-i-Zahiri) or formal or exter-

nal service of general Mu'mins, or believers, in which
they, believing His Existence but without realizing Him,
perform their prayers and services ; and

2. .JJeb oU* 'Ibadat-i-Batini, or internal service of

V">

prophets and saints, in which they, after realizing Him,

* s & s * * ' 4k * " / '

. U ; (')

FOR WHAT OBJECT MAN Ib UI\JB,AA&JLF * w^

that is, after acquiring the attributes, and enjoying the
vision, of the Great and Sublime Divinity, perform
their prayers and services. The first class of 'Ibadat is
essentially necessary as a preparatory stage for the
second.

Now, for the purpose of performing the 'Ibadat of
the latter class, it is necessary to know the respective
duties of various agencies or armies employed in Man's
Body, so that you may be able to avoid wrong and
misguided steps.

From all that I have explained, you are in a safe
position to understand that Passion and An^er are
created for supplying food and drink to, and for the
protection of, the Body. So these two attributes are
attendants of the Body. The Body is created to serve
as conveyance for ten Senses. So the Body i* the
attendant of Ten Senses. Fen Senses, in their turn,
are created to serve as officers of the Intelligence Depart-
ment under Intellect, who supply innumerable informa-
tions of the wonderful phenomena of the Creation, which
form 'knowledge'. In this capacity, Ten Senses are the
attendants of Intellect. And Intellect is created to serve
as a "Minister for the Soul, during the journey from mate-
rial to spiritual world. At this stage Intellect is the
attendant of the Soul. Lastly, the Soul is created to
enjoy the charming and blissful vision of the Great
Lord Himself. This vision, which is, in the nomencla-
ture of Sufiism, called i>*^i Shahud t is the real paradise

64 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

for the Soul, called ci^&y* Bihisht. Referring to this
Shahud or vision, the great saint Hazrat Bu 'AH
Oalandar of Panipat, in his little Masnavi, says :

"He saw His own beauty by the eye of spiritual
vision, so He manifested Himself in the material
creation". 1

Such a vision can be realized only by ooUr 'Ibadat
(prayer and service of the Great Allah). So, as long as
the Soul remains engaged in this 'Ibadat, it is in reality
the servant of the Great Allah. And this position and
responsibility of the Soul (Man) imust be recognized
at every stage of spiritual advancement On this point
the Great Allah says in the Qoran Sharif :

"Continue to pray and serve your Lord until your
death comes". 2

Hadrat Sheikh Abdul Haq of Delhi, in his Sharh-i~
Futuh-ul-Gaib says :

"The sum and substance of the Teachings of Islam
can be summarized into two things

i. Carrying out the orders of Shari'at (Commands
and prohibitions) ; and

' JL /" / XX >J H^4XX

i' U ^J^ vJLJll; vUfily ( L> )

THE PRINCIPLES OF' IBADAT. 6$

2. Resignation to the will of the great Alla'h. That
is, 'Do what He says, and be as He keeps you 1 . First
is oolxc l lbadat (prayer), and second is i^j^xe
'Ubudiyat (servitude). And the stand-point of both is
forbearance' ; as the Great Allah says :

"Certai.nly God rewards forbearers beyond calcula-
tion". 1

THE PRINCIPLES OF 'IBADAT.

Now, I shall explain to you the principles according
to which this 'Ibadat should be performed. The Great
Creator has created the Soul, and has made over to it
the kingdom of Body, and has stationed armies therein,
so that by their help it may make a journey from this
lower or material world to the higher or spiritual sphere.
If a man wants to be grateful for this award of the
Providence, and to discharge his 'Ibadat, or the duties
of a true and faithful servant, he should sit like a

JliL*J (f)

66 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

mighty ruler over the kingdom of his body. The
Essence of the Great Allah should be the sole aim and
object of his life, the after-world should be regarded
by him as his permanent home/ the material-world
as a station in his journey for temporary rest and
procuring supplies and provisions, the Body as con-
veyance, the hands, feet and other organs of the Body
as servants and citizens, Passion as Revenue officer,
Anger as Police, Ten Senses as Intelligencers,
and lastly, Intellect as the Minister.

The Intelligencers are delegated to different provinces

of o>

allotted to them for gathering informations. ^j' oJ

Quwat-i-Tafakkur, or Reason, which is situated in the
fornt part of the Brain, is the Chief of all subordinate
Intelligencers who report their informations to this
Chief.

lailx oJ Quwat-i-Hctfizah) or Memory, which is

located on the back side of the Brain, serves as Pesh-
kar who retains these informations from the Intelligence
Department and submits them at proper time for the
consideration of the Minister, the Intellect. Lastly, the
Minister, the Intellect, on the basis and strength of the
informations received from different provinces of the
kingdom, the Body, administers the affairs of the
Government and makes necessary arrangements for the
journey of the King.

\Vhen the Minister finds that the subordinate officers,

THE PRINCIPLES OF 1BADAT. 67

such as Passion, Anger &c., have become disobedient
and rebellious, and want to rob the King during the
journey, he engages himself in a crusade against the
rebels, but does not kill them altogether ; as the ad-
ministration of the kingdom can not go on without them.
He therefore takes necessary steps simply to bring
them again under proper control and submission so
that during the journey the King has to perform, they
may be utilized as friends, not as enemies, and
may be useful companions, not thieves and robbers.
This is called u ol^ Jihad-i-Nafs (crusade against

Man's Animal and Satanic propensities). This fighting
is also called .x5] jl^ Jihad-i-Akbar (Great Crusade),

as distinguished from y^| jl^ Jihad-i-Asgar (Little

Crusade, or external crusade). Referring to these two
Jihads the Great Prophet, after returning from a war
said :

" We have returned now from Little Jihad to Great

Jihad.'V)

By this expression he intended to direct his follow-
ers to engage themselves in religious services and duties,
ind in exertions for the purification of Heart and Self,
by suppressing Animal and Satanic propensities, ac-
:ording to the practical lessons of Spiritual Philosophy.

68 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Now, if a Man manages his affairs in this way he is
fortunate and grateful ; and he will receive in due time
the rewards of this dutiful and faithful service from the
Great Master.

On the other hand, if the King wanders in a contra-
ry way, joins the rebels and robbers (Animal and
Satanic characters), and sends the wise Minister (Intel-
lect) to imprisonment, he becomes ungrateful and
unfortunate, and will receive his punishment in due
time, by being dethroned from his post as the Viceroy
of God.

DIFFERENT RELATIONS OF THE SOUL
WITH ITS SUBORDINATES.

The Soul is differently related to each of the officers
that are employed in its kingdom. And owing to cons-
tant contact and dealings with them, it imbibes some of
their natures or characters. Some of these characters
are good and some, bad. Good characters gradually
lead the Soul to ennobling fortunes and ultimate salva-
tion, and bad characters, to ultimate ruin, fall and hell.
These natures or characters are innumerable ; but, as I
have explained in Lecture I, they can, be grouped into
four classes

(1) Animal Character,

(2) Satanic Character,

(3) Angelic Character, and

(4) Divine Character.

DIFFERENT RELATIONS OF THE SOUL. 69

Therefore, souls of those men, who pass their lives
in satisfying their animal passions and desires only,
imbibe the character of animals. Some animals, such
as dog, pig &c., are impure. The dog is regarded
impure not on account of its bad physical appearance
and repugnant smell but on account of its ferocious
tendency for fighting and eating impure things. The
pig also has a bad tendency for eating impure things.
They are, therefore, rendered *L*. Haram (prohibited)
by Shariat dogmatic (doctrines of Islam).

So there are many men whose souls have imbibed
the impure characters of these animals.

The souls of those men, who have passed their lives
in intriguing, cheating and doing evils to others, have
imbibed the character of Satan.

The souls of those men who have through their
lives kept themselves always above low, impure and
degraded actions, have dispelled ignorance, have lived
on good terms with the entire human society, and have
discharged the duties of Ibadat^ have thereby imbibed
the character of angels, and have, by the light of that
character, enjoyed the blissful and charming vision and
society of the spiritual and angelic world.

And lastly, the souls of those men, who have, simply
by virtue of Love and rigid performance of Duty, exer-
ted their best to acquire the esoteric knowledge of the
Attributes and Personality, or Essence, of the Great
Allah, have imbibed the Divine Character, and have
thereby enjoyed the rapturous, Sublime and Holy Vision

7O THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

and Society of the Greaty Allah Himself. The plea-
sure derived by the Soul, in that Holy Sphere, the
knowledge of the secrets of Creation and of the attri-
butes of the Great Creator acquired by it, and lastly the
power entrusted to it by the Great Master, are all
beyond the range of description by external language.

It is therefore the duty of every man to detect by
the power of Intellect (an element in Angelic Character)
the intrigues and evil deeds of Satan ; so that the Devil
may be arrested, kept in imprisonment, and prevented
from conspiring, intriguing and creating troubles in the
affairs of the Soul's salvation. Our Great Prophet has
said :

" Every man has a Satan with him ; I have also one
with me, but Allah has given me victory over my Satan.
It is under my perfect subjugation and control and can
not misguide me to any troubles."

NATURE OF MAN'S SOUL REVEALED.

The Great Divine Messenger of Islam has said that
the pig's greediness and the dog's anger, which are also
elements in Man's nature, should always be kept under
ihe control of Intellect. If any one follows this instruc-
tion literally and succeeds in keeping these characters
iu perfect subjugation and subordination, they will
gradually be weakened, and the Angelic and Divine
Characters shall gradually grow more and more power-

NATURE OF MAN'S SOUL REVEALED. Jl

ful and stronger. If, however, on the contrary, he,
instead of keeping these bad characters under control,
abets them in their evil deeds, he will gradually imbibe
their bad natures and will ultimately turn out an un-
fortunate man, eventually resulting in his spiritual fall.

Sometimes it occurs, but people ordinarily can not
comprehend such occurrences, that the nature of a
man's Soul, which it has imbibed from its surrounding
influences, is revealed to him, by a cJL/ kashf (revela-
tion) in a dream or awakened state. He then finds
himself a servant engaged in the service of a dog or
pig, or of a man of sinister appearance, which is a
personification of Satan. If you find a peaceful citizen
under the attack of a robber, you will deplore the
occurrence much. How many times more pitiable is
the scene where you find an angel under the claws of
a dog, a pig or a Satan ? If the generality of mankind
be only just to themselves and make a searching
enquiry as to the actual state of things in themselves,
they will find that they are mostly engaged, day and
night, in satisfying the demands of their passions and
desires. These services of theirs, the engagements of
their whole lives, are, in reality, the service to a dog,
pig or" satan. Although in this material world their
physical appearances are those of men, their internal
characters and natures are, in fact, those of dog, pig
or satan. This secret shall be revealed unreservedly
and nakedly to the entire public on the Great Day of
Qeyamat (Resurrection), when the external garbs of

72 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

the material world shall vanish, and every man shall
reveal the appearance of an animal, satan, angel or
Divine Personality, whose nature he has internally
imbibed by his own tendencies and actions in this
material world.

I shall explain this theory. If a man passes his life
in this world generally in satisfying his animal passions
and in eating impure things, without distinction of Ju**
Halal (things eatable according to Shari'at) and J ^
Haram (things uneatable under Shari'at), he will find
himself on the Day of Oeyamat in the appearance of
a pig. If any one has in this world a tendency for fight-
ing with, hating and oppressing, others, and passes his
life in troublesome affairs, he will, on that Grand D iy of
Judgment, find himself in the appearance of a dog
or tiger.

Similarly, if a man sees a tiger in a dream, the
meaning is that his soul has come in contact with the
soul of a man who is a tyrant. If any one sees a pig in
a dream it means that his soul has seen the impure soul
ot a man which has assumed the appearance of a pig.

4 x* x >Aii X

o~J| -^) *JJ) "Sleep is the brother of death," say the

philosophers, and in that state things appear in their
real natures. So every man appears in the spiritual
world in the garb or appearance of his internal nature
which he has imbibed by his dealings in the physical
world.

NATURE OF MAN'S SOUL REVEALED. 73

Those durwcskes or saints who have made a fair
advancement in the path of spiritual purification and
elevation I do not mean those duriveshes whose dur-
weshi lies only in garments and conversations can
observe and discern, in this material world, when they
are perfectly awake, when they walk and talk, the
internal character or nature of every man they come
across in every day business of life. This is a grand
secret and embraces a very wide subject in the pro-
vince of Spiritual Philosophy, which it is impossible to
discuss in full length in an address like this. I there-
fore make only a passing observation.

Now, when you have learnt that there are, within
yourself, in your service, four classes of workers, of four
distinct characters, you should always remain vigilant
and watchful to find out under whose influence you are
passing your life. You should also know that every
act you do and every word you utter creates an im-
pression on your Soul which becomes one of its attri-
butes and remains with it, and will continue to be,
even after your death, its companion, in the after- world.
Attribute caused by such an impression is called J^JLSJ
Rafiq (companion) ; and the motives for such actions
and utterances generate from the internal working of
the four classes of workers mentioned above. If you
place yourself under the influence of the character of
pig, which exists in you, then your soul shall imbibe
impurity, shamelessness, avarice, greediness, hatred &c.
Ifyo try and succeed in subduing and keeping down

74 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

this character," then your soul shall imbibe contentment,
self-possession, shame, ease, purity, moderation and
satisfaction.

It you obey the dictates of dog, which also exists
in you, your soul shall imbibe pride, impurity, vanity,
fealousy, anger, oppression, ferocity and conceit. But
it you can control this dog, the anger, your soul shall
imbibe the attributes of forbearance, gravity, forgive-
ness, stability, sublimeness, courage, strength, charity
and generosity.

If you allow yourself to be guided by Satan, which
also resides and is working in you, it will instigate both
the pig and the dog (Passion and Anger) in their sinful
actions and will teach them all sorts of deceit and
intrigue ; and your soul shall thereby imbibe the
tendency for fraud, deceit, intrigue, malice, hypocrisy
&c. But if you can control this Satan and help your
Intellect to gain victory over him, then your soul shall
imbibe the qualities of wisdom, knowledge, nobility,
courteousness, sublimity, superiority &c.

If you allow yourself to be guided by Angelic or
Divine force, also working in you, your Soul shall ac-
quire Angelic or Divine character respectively, as I have
already explained.

Now, whichever of these qualifications and natures
you will make your Soul imbibe, it will remain with you
till the day of Qeyamat (Resurrection) ; and such com-
panions shall be the causes of good fortune or misfor-
tune, according to your choice. A poet says : "On the

THE vJS QALB OR HEART RESEMBLES A MIRROR. /J

day when all attributes bhall be repaid, your status
shall be according to the extent of your Divine Know-
ledge. Try to acquire good attributes, as on the day of
judgment your actions shall be accounted in the light of
your attributes. 1 '

All your actions, by means of which your Soul ac-
quires evil natures, are called Uf gunah (sin) ; and
those bringing good natures, are called u>Lj sawah
(virtues). There are actions which produce neither sin
nor virtue ; so they are called U/o mubah (innocent).

Every one of your otiC* * ofcyk harkat-o-saknat
(commissions and omissions) must fall within the
sphere of either of the above three cases.

THE ^Js OALB OR HEART RESEMBLES
A MIRROR.

While an infant, Man's v^J Qalb (Heart) resem-
bles a mirror. With the beginning of his ideas of the
visible creation a thin layer begins to settle on its

<xj

Oj^aJ

76 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

surface. Along with the process of his growth, the
ever-increasing engagements of his heart with the mate-
rial world, gradually thicken that layer. All his sub-
sequent evil deeds, or sins, are like smoke which dar-
kens that layer ; and which, consequently, disqualifies
the surface of the mirror. On account of this darkness
his Heart becomes incapable of receiving and reflecting
the images of the objects of spiritual or angelic world.
Consequently, the medium becoming disqualified, his
Soul is also deprived of the enjoyment of the vision of
the spiritual world and of the Great Allah Himself. At
this state he is called LJU^V^I^ Mahjitb (separated)
i. e. he remains in separation from the Great Almighty.
And this is his real ^.j^o Dozakh or Hell.

On the other hand, Man's good actions or virtuous
deeds are like electric sparks which cleanse the obscu-
rity created by the layer and the smokes of sins, and
render the mirror capable of receiving images. Then,
and only then, he can enjoy such charming visions of
the angelic world and of the Mighty Creator, the beau-
ties and charms of which it is impossible to describe
in human language. It is simply beyond human power
even to approach any description of the rapturous
charms and grandeur of that sublime and holy region.
At this stage he is called J^U Wasil (United), i. e.-
united with the Great Allah. This is his real u^&y>
Bihistk (Paradise); and this is his Salvation. It is on
this account that the Great Prophet has said :

THE v-.ii QALB HEART RESEMBLES A MIRROR. 7/

"After every evil act do a good act. 3 ' 1 This is said
with a view that the succeeding good action will clear
the darkness caused by the preceding evil deed. On
the day of Judgment all souls shall appear before the
Grand Darbar of the Mighty Despenser of Justice either
in a state of darkness or brightness. Regarding the
condition of the salvation the merging in Divinity
of souls the Ooran Sharif says :

"On the day (of Qeyamat) on which neither riches
nor children shall avail, except that men shall approach
Allah with a clean, pure and resigned Heart/' 2

I shall give you another illustration. In ancient
time glass was manufactured out of iron. Human heart
is like a piece of iron at the beginning of life : and if it
is preserved properly and cleaned regularly it will turn
out in time a transparent mirror. At this state, entire
creation, physical and spiritual, may be reflected in the
heart. If it is neglected, it will become rusted and will
no more be fit for the manufacture of mirror. On this
point the Great Allah says in the Qoran Sharif :

AS SS / / 4

78 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"Never, never ; rather their hearts have been dar-
kened by their own vile deeds."^

SOUL'S COMPANION IN THE AFTER-WORLD.

Now, I wish to discuss another phase of the ques-
tion, in the elucidation of which also it is convenient
to refer to the four classes of characters in Man's na-
ture. The three characters of animal, satan and angel
are given to man for being used as servants. Therefore
when a man dies after a virtuous life, his passion, anger,
intrigue &c. all vanish, except he himself and his ori-
ginal or Divine character. But he exits then, not in
material body, but in spiritual form, accompanied by a
bright light of etherial and angelic nature, quite pre-
pared and fit for the vision and environment of the Great
Allah. So, that light remains in the after-world as his
companion in his spiritual existence. Hence it is

called Jf jff UJ) jji Rafiq-il-Mala-il-A 'la

(companion in higher sphere) ; and in the same state
and with the same attributes he will appear in the
presence of the Great Lord Himself, referring to which
the Holy Ooran says :

O

SOUL'S COMPANION IN THE AFTEE-\\ ORLD. 79

"In the assembly of holy persons and in the presence
of the Most Mighty King." 1

The other alternative companion of the Soul, in the
Spiritual World, of a man who dies after passing a sin-
ful or faithless life, is darkness and degradation. Dark-
n ess is caused by smokes created by sins and faith-
lessness, and degradation, by pleasures that he enjoyed
in the material world in satisfaction of animal passions.
The reason is thus explained. If a man bears an attach-
ment for any object which shall, after his death, remain
in this world, his soul shall, even in the spiritual world,
retain its tendency towards that object, which it has
left behind in this material world. But the material
world is in the lower stratum than the spiritual world.
So the Soul shall remain in the higher world with its
degrading tendency towards the lower world as is ex-
plained in the following passage of the Qoran Sharif:

"If you could see when the sinners shall appear
down-headed before their Lord." 1

This causes the separation of Soul from the Almighty

A u>

Allah ; and such a soul shall be placed in

?//# (dark custody J in company with the devils. The

**^ /

A/ X

y ; (l)

XX S // S / //

f c &Jacu*J| ijj

80 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

meaning of the word 'Sijjin' is not clear and can not be
conceived by men of ordinary understanding. It is-
generally explained as "The dark custody for the souls
of sinners till the day of judgment."

The wonders of the spiritual world are innumerable,
and the high value and superiority of that world are on
account of the fact that its beauties and powers are un-
approachable to the things of this external world. But
what is the most wonderful is that men are generally
careless of, and indifferent to. that spiritual world, where
every one must go either in exaltation or degradation.

The superiority of the spiritual world is on ac-
count of

(1) JLc '//w (Knowledge) ; and

(2) O)O5 Qudrat (Power).
Knowledge is divided into two classes
(r) General or external ; and

(2) Special or internal.

The former is acquired by ten Senses and is the
common property of all men ; but the latter is acquired
by the internal light of Heart, and is not within the
reach of all. It is the property of only select persons
who have acquired internal powers and have established
communion with the spiritual world. Hence it is re-
garded far more valuable.

The external knowledge is the instrument by which
Man can comprehend the beauties and valua of physical
and mental creations, and can read and understand

SOUL'S COMPANION IN THE AFTERWORLD. 8l

books. This external knowledge comprises Literature,
Mathematics, Logic, Philosophy, Chemistry, Medicine,
'Ilmi-Shari 'at &c. This particular branch of knowledge
is one section of the knowledge of Man's Soul which
comprises various subordinate branches. By this
knowledge one can, standing on earth, measure the
heaven*^ and can ascertain positions, dimensions, dis-
tances and movements of planets <ind stars. It is by
means of this knowledge that various contrivances and
instruments ars constructed by which you can catch
fishes out of water, and birds of flight from air, and can
arrest and bring under subjugation ferocious and far
more powerful animals, like tigers, lions, elephants &c.
You can, by means of this knowledge, construct and
conduct Railway Trains and Steam Ships, fly on Air-
Ships and transmit telegraphic messages. All these
wonderful branches of knowledge are the properties of
the Soul. And this external knowledge is acquired
by means of ten Senses ; and the entire visible creation
has its means of communication with the Heart through
five external Senses.

But the most wonderful revelation that I will make is
that Human \__^* Qalb, or Heart) has a secret door
of communication with the Spiritual World. Generally
people think that the visible creation is the only object
regarding which knowledge should be acquired, and
the ten Senses, the only means by which such a
knowledge can be acquired. But such an idea is ground-
less. This is explained and proved by the fact that the
secret door of Heart towards the Spiritual World opens
ris soon as Man falls asleep, and his five external doors
6

82 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

are shut up. At this state of human rest, in this Material
World, when the five Senses are suspended, his Soul
sees the wonders of the Spiritual World, sometimes
even the records in the taia*/* - J Lowhi-Mahfuz ; l

and thus he becomes aware of future occurrences
that are to visit the Material World. Such incidents,
seen in dreams, appear to him either in clear and
naked manner, or in the garb of allegories which
require interpretations.

As for powers of the Spiritual world, the subject
will be dealt with subsequently in a separate lecture.

SLEEP AND VISIONS IN SLEEP.

'What is Sleep and Visions that occur in Sleep 1 is
also a grand subject the elucidation of which requires
volumes. Here I give only a brief explanation. Take
Human Heart as a transparent mirror. If in front of
this mirror an ornamental plate is placed, all the orna-
mental works of the plate will be reflected in it.
Similarly, the Heart possesses the capacity of receiving
images and reproducing reflections of all that exist in
the Spiritual World and are recorded in the Louhi-
Mahfuz (Preserved Tablet).

But as long as Man is awake and his Heart remains
engaged with the ideas of the Material World that
secret door remains closed, and the Soul of that
Man remains U^BOBU* Mahjub (screened or separated)

l . Preserved Tablet in which destinies and occurrences of
Physical World are pre-recorded by Providence.

SLEEP AND VISIONS IN SLEEP. 83

from the Spiritual World. During Sleep the Heart
becomes disengaged from the ideas and knowledge of
the Material World ; and it then opens its communica-
tion with the Spiritual World, and Soul then observes,
through the medium of transparent Heart, the things
and incidents of that world by the light of its own
original character.

But there yet remains an obstruction during Sleep
on account of which visions are not always distinct and
clear. Although during sleep the actions of Five Exter-
nal Senses fall in abeyance or become suspended, yet
the five Internal Senses continue to perform their func-
tions. Therefore such thoughts (actions of Internal
Senses) in dreams dress those visions sometimes in the
garbs of some ideals. So, such visions appear in the
garb of some ideal examples,instead of occurring in plain
and naked state. But when iVlan dies, his all the ten
Senses vanish ; and it is then only that things of the
Spiritual World appear to him in their original and
naked state, without any garb. On this point there
are many passages in the Qoran Sharif out of which
I quote the following two :

"But We (Allah) have removed thy veil off from thee
and thy sight is powerful to-day." 1

"O my Lord, (sinners shall cry) we have seen and
have heard ; allow us therefore to return to physical

84 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

world again, and we shall do good works, since we are
now believers," 1

DIVINE REVELATIONS IN HUMAN HEART.

There is another proof of the connection, though
unseen, of Human Heart with the Spiritual World.
Every man, even the very oridinary man, has occasions
during which incidents happen to his Heart in the shape
of ol^U Waridat (Divine promptings) and cjU>lgJ|
Ilhamat (Divine revelations). Such incidents occur to
him not by the public door of Five Senses, but by the
private door of the Heart. He can not account how and
by, what means the incidents come to his Heart and to
his knowledge. But if by practical lessons, under an
experienced teacher, he learns to fix and concentrate his
attention, he will so far be able to know that knowledge
is acquired not only from the Physical Sphere, but there
are also other spheres from which knowledge comes to
Human Heart ; and he shall further know that the Soul
is not a product of this Material World, but has its
origin in the Spiritual World. But the five External
Senses are created for acquiring the knowledge of the
Physical World. Hence they are obstacles in the vision
of the Spiritual World. Therefore, unless a man can
make himself perfectly free from this world, he can not
find his way to the other world.

131 UJU JojJ Uuta. ,U LU^- . 13 ^ Ujj ( l )

S S / J ' *J ^ '

DIVINE REVELATIONS IN HUMAN HEART 85

But do not think that there is no other means of
opening the private or internal door of the Heart except
by sleep or death. There is a process of practical
exertions, called y^^b. Rayadat or jjuj&l^ue Mujahadah^
by which the Heart becomes clear and transparent and
perfectly disengaged from all ideals of material objects.
At this state the Heart opens its communications with
the Spiritual World. Even during the life-time of a
man, when he is wide awake, this door may be opened
at any time and place and communion with the
Spiritual World established at once. But such an act
is under the command of those select few, who have
received a thorough practical training in the tenets
of Sufiism and have made a fair progress in the process
of spiritualization, under a competent Peer, or Guide.
To read the thoughts of another living man, which is
called * Thought Reading ' or * Telepathy ' by modern
philosophers of Europe, belongs only to an elementary
chapter in Sufiism. Such powers in many cases develope>
unsought for, even in the very beginners.

MARATIB-I-URJU-SITTAH, OR
SIX STAGES OF ASCENT, OR
THE THEORY OF SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION.

Following are the processes and stages of practical
lessons for spiritual evolution or advancement according
to the doctrines of Sufism, called
Reyadat and Mujahadah :

86 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

(1) &>J Towbah, i. e. Confession of disobedience,
repentence, supplicating forgiveness and changing mind
for good ;

(2) oMjl * ,0^.) Itn& n an< ^ Iradat^ i. e. Plighting
faith in the * Unity of Divinity ' and the missions of all
Divine Prophets which are embodied in the Prophet of
Islam, accepting the guidance of a Pir or Guide, and
declaring faith in the principles of Sufism ; and this is
also technically called u^*jo Bai'at (Initiation) ;

(3) 4~-?.y Tawajjuh) i. e. Spiritual inspiration of
disciples by Pir (Spiritual Guide) ;

(4) .Xj TLikr, \. e. Remembering The Great Allah
incessently by repeating his name at heart, according
to some definite formula taught by Pir ;

(5) 4Uj3L/o Maraqabah) i. e. Thinking incessently of
the Great Allah in His three realms

(a) of His Deeds,
() of His Attributes, and
(c) of His Personality or Essence.
Following is the process of Muraqabah :

(a) To sit" generally at a place free from the
hum and bustle of the world,

(b) To keep the eyes shut,

(c) To suspend the five External Senses, and

(d) To think of the Omnipresent, Omniscient,

Omnipotent and Ever-existent Allah in His unlimited

and unparallel grandeur, without pronouncing any word.

Gradually the five External Senses shall become

utterly suspended and powerless ; the external doors of

MARATIB-I-URUJ-SITTAH, OR SIX STAGE OF ASCENT. 87

communication with the physical world shall be entirely
shut up ; and lastly the thinker shall become totally
unconscious of himself and the entire external creation.
At this stage a communion with the Spiritual World
will slowly begin.

(6) (a) ,^-Ju fofy Tazkiyai-Nafs> i. e. Purification

of Self. If you want to clean your Heart for receiving
spiritual lights, you should clear it from following ten
evil characters :

(i) Avarice, (ii) Reliance on the Created, (iii) Anger,
(iv) Falsehood, (v) Backbiting, (vi) Stinginess, (vii)
Jealousy (viii) Hypocrisy, (ix) Pride, and (x) Revenge.

(*) u~** f^** Tarlimi-Nafs, i. e. Training of Self.

If you want to ascend to Divine Environment, you
should adorn your heart by following nine good
-characters :

(i) Forbearance, (ii) Gratitude, (iii) Contentment,
>iv) Knowledge, (v) Faith, (vi) Resignation, (vii) Reliance
on Allah, (viii) Willingness, (ix) Obedience.

(7) Uj Fana, or merging in Divinity, i.e. To liberate
Self from all attributes of Creation, to acquire Divine
attributes and lastly to unite with the Personality of
the Great Allah Himself. This is called Fana by
Musalmans,Salvation by Christians, Nirvan by Buddhists,
and Jiban-Mukti by Hindus.

The great Musalman Saint-Poet Moulana Jalaluddin
Rumi in his eminent poetical work on Spiritual Philoso^
phy called * The Masnavi Sharif thus describes the
process of Fana, or the 'Theory of Spiritual Evolution 1 L

88 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

" I died from mineral world and became a vegetable ,
and then I died from vegetable kingdom and retook my
birth in the class of (irrational) animals." 1

" I died then from the province of irrational animals
and became Man ; therefore I do not fear death, as I
do not degenerate by dying." 2

" Again I shall die from mankind ; so that I may
appear again in the class of angels." 3

"' I shall have to advance from angelic world still
further on ; as everything shall vanish except His face." 4

" I shall once more sacrifice myself from angelic life,
and shall become what is beyond human imagination." 5

" At last I shall vanish (by merging my personal
existence), like an organ (musical sound) ; and I shall
then cry out, to Him all are returning.'"'

_.

MARATIB-I-URUJ-S1TAH, OR SIX STAGES OF ASCENT. 89

Some Musalman Ulema (Doctors) have denounced
Moulana Riimi as a believer in the theory of " The
Transmigration of Soul " from one physical body to
another which is not sanctioned by Islam on account
of these verses. But Sufis do not accept this interpre-
tation. They say that the Great Moulana has here
explained the changes that occur in a man'a single
life human life in his own internal nature, in the pro-
cess of spiritual evolution, from the mineral to the spiri-
tual. In support of this view I quote here some passages
from the " Rubaiyat-i-Omar Khayyam," rendered into
English as follows :

" Before your sorrows may kill you in some night,
order for wine (of Divine Love). You are not gold, O
indifferent and ignorant fellow, that you shall be
buried in the ground and taken out again Ml

" This sky (the invisible world) which does not
disclose its secrets to any one, has killed in cruelty
thousand conquerors like Mahmiid and thousand slaves
like Ayaz. Drink (Divine) wine incessantly ; as to no one

go THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

life is twice given, and whoever went away from this
world will not return again.' 11

" Morning has dawned, get up, O my Love. Drink
a little of (Divine) wine, and play on Chung (musical
instrument) ; because those who are sleeping away time
here shall not stay longer ; nor those, who have gone,
shall return again."*

" I saw an old man in a liquor-shop (Monastery) and
I asked him why he does not give any information as
to those who have gone away ; he replied 'drink (Divine)
wine, because many persons like myself have gone and
and no one has come back even once." 8

& r i^ j

jb cwj ^i vJ 1 *^ J^o^ A r (^ 5 !^

MARATIB-I-URUJ-SITAH, OK SIX STAGES OF ASCENT. 91

"O thou, the result of four and seven, you are
constantly fried within the sphere of seven and four ;
drink (Divine) wine ; because, thousand times I have
told you over, that you will not return again, once you
are gone, gone for ever." 1

VJ^WSM^I &*&> !**- \ d--s^ ijir* r-- w
3x>| stAAu *> ^

One, who is the secret of the internal world, and
one, who is manifest and visible, all are Ke. The bride
in privacy and the light in public audience, all are He.*

From the time, which the musician was playing on
his instrument, it reached my ears, that the wood, the
strings and the sounds of 'tanan tanan', all are He.

What I hear and what I see all are true because my
ears and my eyes, all are He.

LJS jail ^1*) ^ ; c

**j

jb

9 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

If you tear into pieces the volumes of infidelism and
Islam, you will be convinced that the Sheikh and the
Prahman, all are He.

If you can go out of the sphere of material manifesta-
tion, or bondage, like Niyaz, you will find that even
within this shirt, all are He.

It is not Niy^z that is speaking with you now ; I
swear by God, at this time in my speech, all are He.

,*~o

x x! x

LECTURE IV.

J)OJ A - AX6J*> ^O ^^v^cO

You are always manifest in the entire universe ; but you
are not visible to my external eyes.

U. vlo J U. *a> A&J

-

O Thou, you have no particular situation any where ; but
! arn amazed to find that you are every where.

From Your Holy beauty which has no parallel in this
physical world, how pleasant is the time, when you will
throw awa the veil.

throw away the veil.

You are within and without, behind and in the front, on
the right and on the left, and below and above.

j j|j Jo j|

94 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Yesterday a (Divine) messenger was proclaiming with a
most heart-rending and ecstatic voice :

V=>

That by the internal eyes of your heart do not see any
thing else, except your Friend (the Great Allah). What-
ever you observe, know it to be a manifestation of Him.

THE NECESSITY OF PIR.
Or Spiritual Guide.

It must be remembered that before following the
practical processes, mentioned in the last lecture, it is
essentially and indispensably necessary for every one
to receive inspiration from, and establish connection
with, a competent Pir or Murshid (Spiritual Guide),
without which all exertions for spiritual advancement
shall be entirely fruitless.

I shall cite an example. The connection of disci-
ples with their Pir resembles the ramifications of a
grand Electric Light Work. Unless you connect each
lamp with the main battery, all your endeavours to
generate light in these lamps shall be inefficacious.
Similarly, unless your Heart is connected with the
Heart of a competent Pir, which represents the main
Electric Battery and wherein Divine powers have
received full development, it is impossible to establish
connection with the Spiritual World and to emanate

THE NECESSITY OF PIR. 95

Divine light in your Heart. Hence, the extreme respect
and veneration with which the students of Sufism
regard their Pir, which is rather ignorantly and sar-
castically characterized by some ungenerous critics as
'Pir-worship/

The famous Sufi-Philosopher, or as known in Europe
the mystic-poet, Moulana Jalaluddin Rum! (R. A.) thus
sings in his Aiasnawi Sharif on the necessity of Pir :

"The Great Prophet, addressed Hadrat 'AH (R. A.)
and said, 'O 'AH, you are a Divine Lion and a Hero,
full of heart/" 1

"But do not rely even on your lion-like valour ;
and come under the shadow of the Tree of Hope.'"*

" ' Kvery one adopts a particular method of worship
for attaining to the environment of the illimitable
and unexampled Lord/' ' *

" But you should seek that Holy Environment by
means of your intellect and secret connections, and not

96 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

like them, by means of your acquirements and good
deeds." ' *

" 'Q 'AH, of all the methods of Divine worship, you
should accept the shelter of the special favourite of
Allah.' "

" * Every one has followed a particular method of
worship and has thought of a means of salvation for
himself "

" * But you should fly to the shelter of a wise
man ; so that you may extricate yourself from the
murderous enemy that lies hidden in you.' " *

" Onco you have accepted a Pir, resign yourself to
him, and follow his commands, as Moses (A. S.) followed
the commands of his Guide, the Prophet Khidir (\. S.)"'"'

*M ot .cLJo ^Jloo^ ;| .Xc b ( >JN )

> x > ^ v /

A ] | ^^'> A

THE NECESSITY OF PIR. 97

" Then through him seek Divine environment ; and
never turn your face away from his obedience." *

" Because he can turn a thorny shrub into a garden ;
and he can give sight to a blind man." a

" He is a helper or guide (in the Spiritual World),
and a favourite servant of Allah, who leads the seekers
to His Holy Presence.'* 3

" If, till the Day of Qeyamat (Resurrection), I go
on singing his praise, you can not find a conclusion or
termination." 4

" When Allah has designated his (Pir's) hand as His
own hand, He has said in the Qoran * Allah's hand lies
on their hands i.e. on the hands of some new disciples
who plighted faith in Islam in the hand of Prophet).' " r *

" A friend (guide) is necessary in the journey : do

J|

/ (<)

93 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

not travel alone. And do not enter this vast wilderness
at your own whims." 1

" His hand is not short for the absentees (i.e. he is
capable of guiding his disciples even when they are far
off). His hand is nothing but the hand of Allah." a

" There is a vast difference, which it is impossible to
account, between men in light and men in darkness." s

" In Man has hidden the Divine Sun ; Realize it.
Allah has the best knowledge." 4

" If any one desires to sit with Allah, tell him to
sit in the society of Aoliya (Saints)." 5

" Seek the shadow, or shelter, of kings (saints) and
proceed every moment in rapid speed ; so that by the

LfrW I; il; J, >t> Jj t ( l )

Jukjj

THE NECESSITY OF PIR. 99

effect of that shadow you may become brighter than the
Sun". '

" To sit one hour in the presence of a Walt (saint)
is better than a hundred years' sincere worship." *

"Go and sleep under the shelter of a Divine favourite.
It is better that a saint should make you free (i.e.
secure your salvation)." s

" Do accept a Pir ; as without a Pir this journey is
full of perils and dangers." *

" So in a path, in which you have never travelled
before, never proceed alone ; and do not turn away from
the guide." 5

" Unless you are under the shelter of a Pir, O vain

*6 Jt>

b ^e C)

liS

IOO THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

fellow, the voice of devils shall misguide you in the
wilderness." l

" Whoever travelled in the path of Allah without a
Pir, has been misled by devils and ultimately thrown
into a dark well." 2

" Who is kafir (infidel)? One, who has no faith in
Pir. Who is dead ? One, who is unacquainted with the
Soul of Pir." a

MAN'S CONNECTION" WITH THE SPIRITUAL
WORLD.

If a student exerts himself, according bo the rules
laid down, for a certain length of time, under the obser-
vation and training of an experienced Pir, he shall be
able, even while he is awake, in a standing, sitting or
lying posture, to open, at his will, the internal door of
his heart, and establish connection with the Spiritual
World. He will then see the wonders of the Spiritual

MEN'S CONNECTION WITH THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. IOI

World, which other people see at random, in dreams,
during sleep. He shall also enjoy the visions of angels
and other spiritual beings in most beautiful and charming
appearances. He shall also have the honour of visits
with the Holy Souls of Uxj) Ambiya (S. A.) and
UJJ Aoliya (Kiram) i. e. prophets and saints who
have, long ago, passed away from this material world,
and shall have conversations with, and receive assistance,
instructions and inspirations from, them. The secrets
of Heavens and Earth shall be revealed to him. Such
a man can enjoy the most charming beauties and won-
derful visions of the o^X* Jlx Alami-Malakut (An-

gelic World) which is simply beyond human description.

It is then, and only then, that true knowledge and
power of the Great Allah can be practically acquired
and His vision can be practically realized. So our
Great Prophet has said :

" Whole world was shewn to me ; and then I saw it
entirely from East to West/* 1

Again the Great Allah says in the Qoran Sharif :

" And thus did we show to prophet Abraham the
kingdoms of Heavens and Earth." 3

SS S / S S/ / S ^ * SSS ^ ASA

^ u^Jj U ^*j D} J U^O
v ""

S I I tf S *, jf/S S* S* - A > S I

Dl

' s

a -

102 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

All knowledge and powers acquired by Durweshes
or Saints are through this secret process or source of
spiritual information. The supernatural knowledge of
all Divine Messengers are also acquired through this
internal medium, and not by means of external senses.
A single series of facts of identical nature is sufficient
to prove conclusively this truth. These facts are that
all the prophets, who have visited this world as Divine
Messengers for elevating mankind, were illiterate. Their
real teachings were for Reyadat. or exertions, for the
improvement of spiritual powers by total renunciation
of the charms and comforts of the material world. On
this point the Great Allah Himself thus directs His
creatures in the Holy Qoran :

"Turn to Him (Allah) renouncing all worldly vani-
ties and desires." 1

So, if you want to become a man of the spiritual
world, it is strictly prohibited to entangle yourself and
find pleasure in the means and requirements of this
world, and to believe and rely on them. You are simply
to live on bare necessities of life. It is the business of
the Great Providence to provide you those indispen-
sable necessities; as He Himself directs :

"He is the Lord of the East and the West. There
is no Allah but He. Therefore make Him your
Guardian." 1

MEN'S CONNECTION WITH THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. 103

When the Great Allah Himself stands as security
and guarantee for all our necessities, is it not folly and
madness on our part to interfere in such matters ? So a
Durwesh should not identify himself with the people of
the world ; as the Great Allah says :

" Patiently endure the contumelies of the infidels
and depart from them with a decent departure." 1

All these are instructions for Reyadat, or exertions,
so that the Heart and the Soul may acquire purity,
holiness and brightness, and become unapproachable
to the enmity of the creation, passion and anger, as well
as to the temptations of the pleasures and charms of
the material world. It is the &*Jo Tariqah^ or path

of u^oDn Wilayat (status and powers of saints) and

of 0^x3 Nubtiwat (status and mission of prophets).

But to form an idea of the Spiritual World and its
knowledge by means of external learning, or book-
knowledge, is the business of &Ui >ULc Ulima-i-Zahir

* s

(men of external or exoteric learning). But its province
is very limited and its sphere of influence very small.
The internal or esoteric knowledge of a Durwesh receiv-
es, undoubtedly, strength and vigor, if external or exo-
teric knowledge is also added to it. After attainment
of spiritual perfection, internal knowledge shall be com-
municated to your Heart direct from the Great Allah
Himself.

IO4 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

DIRECT KNOWLEDGE FROM ALLAH
TO HUxMAN HEART.

That the direct knowledge from the Great Allah to
Man's Heart is a truth, and that it is superior to all
other sources of human knowledge, have been ascertain-
ed both by experiences and deducted by logical proofs.
There are various methods of training in this line. The
best method of attaining to the highest stage of
spiritual elevation is that of * Divine Love/ This is the
only procedure for reaching the Holy Darbar of the
Mighty Allah most rapidly ; and you cannot reach this
spiritual elevation by any amount of intellectual know-
ledge or prayers and devotions. The Great Sufi-Poet
Moulana Rumi says :

" A devotee can travel, in a month, only a distance
of one day's journey ; while a lover can, in a second,
ascend up to the very throne of the Almighty." 1

The great Khwajah Mu *in-ud~din Chistee ,=;ays

" The place, which Zhids shall reach by performing
one thousard Chillah, (forty day's seclusion,) the lovers
shall ascend by a single ecstatic voice." 2

If any one has neither desire nor stamina for the
acquirement of spiritual knowledge and realization of
Divine Vision, he should not, at least, as a Musalman,
disbelieve the knowledge itself and the doctrines of

O

<= . <*&& (J^le J.A *

C)

DIRECT KNOWLEDGE TO HUMAN HEART.

Sufism, as well as the capability of Man to see the
Great Allah Himself. Because, if he does so, he is,
according to many eminent Musalman authorities, a
Kafir (infidel). In support of this view Imam Gazali in
his c^oU ^Ixej/ Kimiya-i-Sa'adat says :

" The knowledge of Prophets and saints, without the
" help of any human teaching, directly comes to their
"hearts from His (Allah's) Holy Darbar. The correct-
" ness of this path has been established both by experi-
" ence and reason. If such a knowledge you have not
" acquired by taste and love, you can not do it by
* training and reason. Rut do not, at least, fall short of
" the state, that you should have faith in, and admit
" the truth of, such a source of knowledge ; so that you
" may not be deprived of the three stages of Iman, or
" Faith, and turn out a kafir." 1

JuUi' ik~| ; cL. LJy ^ Uxi)

4~ .*

jJ ^J.1 <U

106 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

The soul of every man originally possesses these
properties, as every piece of iron originally possesses
the capacity for the manufacture of mirror. But if it
is spoiled by neglect or abuse, it loses its original capa-
city for the manufacture of mirror. Similarly, when
the heart of a man remains engaged in satisfying his
passions and desires, and is darkened by sinful actions,
it loses its capacity for spiritual visions, and his ^oul
loses its fitness for elevation to the sublime and holy
presence of the Almighty Allah.

That Man originally possesses this qualification or
capacity is explained in the following passages of the
Qoran Sharif:

(1) "(The Great Allah addressing human souls, be-
fore creating material world, said,) Am I not your
Lord ?"

"Yes' replied they." 5

(2) "Verily, if you ask them, 'who has created the
heavens and the earth and has compelled the sun and
the moon to revolve in their courses T they will answer,
< The Allah/ " a

(3) " The attributes of Allah, on the basis of which
Man is created."''*

<;

*<*/*, S S

^i \L S A^SS SSS* S

\e dJUl ^j^jJJUl ^

lo

MANKIND DIVIDED INFO THREE CLASSES. IO/

Thus it is clear from these passages that the special
attributes of spiritual beings and of the Great Allah are
universally and unreservedly bestowed on mankind by
Him ; but only they spoil them by abuse.

MANKIND DIVIDED INTO THREE CLASSES.

With regard to spiritual powers mankind is divided
into three classes :

(1) Ux>! Ambiya (A. S.)> *"* Prophets,

(2) IxM Aoliya (K. \i.e. Saints, and

(3) yfclli JLfcj Ahl-i-Zakir, i.e. Men without any

spiritual power, or ordinary or external men.

(i) It a man attains to the highest spiritual
position, and acquires the highest spiritual knowledge
and power, and is, at the same time, commissioned by
the Almighty Allah to correct the abuses introduced
into His pure religion, to invite mankind publicly
towards the real knowledge of the Great Allah and their
duties* to Him, -and to teach and guide them accord-
ingly, he is called a ij Nabi (Prophet), and his
teachings are called e^*jJi Shari'at (Dogmatic
Doctrines) and v^JuJo Tariq$t (Spiritual Doctrines) ;
and his supernatural deeds are called ty&m* Mu'jazak
(Miracles of a Prophet)'. The Great Allah says in the
Holy Qoran :

108 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

" For every nation or community I have sent a
prophet/ 1 l

(2) But if a man of buch spiritual position and
power, is not commissioned by Great Providence for
any public mission of u^jo JZ Shartat^ but ha^
authority for Him, through a ij NaK, or Prophet,
to invite mankind towards the religion of the Great
Allah by preaching, and to initiate them into o.*j J
SharPat and c^Ju^lo Tariqat, he is called a J. Walt
(Saint); and his supernatural deeds are called ci^/|,/
Karamat (Miracles of a Saint), Regarding this class of
Favourites the Great Allah says in the Qoran Sharif:

"Are not the Aoliya (Friends of the Allah) the
persons to whom no fear shall come and who shall not
be grieved ? They who believe and fear Allah shall
receive good tiding in this life and in the life to come/' *

For a ^^u Nabi it is compulsory to invite mankind
publicly towards the Great Allah ; while for a ^ ; Wall
it is not compulsory to carry on the work of ui-o|aA
Hidayat, or guidance, exactly in the same manner, but

C)

X

*JLJI > y y ^i i ( 2 )

1 x ^*x *>f x x A^ xi x*

MANKIND DIVIDED INTO THREE CLASSES.

he shall simply invite people by preaching and initiate
voluntary candidates. Walis are again divided into two

classes :

(1) JUJjtlk ^ Wali-i Zahirul Hal, and

(2) JlaJl l^* Wali-i-Masturul Hal.

Wali-i-Zahirul Hal arc those whose powers are mani-
fest, and who are authorized to initiate and guide
others in spiritual advancement ; while Wali-i-Masturul-
Hal are those whose powers are hidden, and are not so
authorized to initiate and guide others, but they are
themselves advanced saints in the -phere of spiritual
beings.

It is the pleasure of the Great and Omnipotent
Master to disengage some of these Aoliya, or saints,
from the work of v^Jjufc Hidayat, or teaching and
guiding, at a time when Shari'at remains in full force
and an extra impetus becomes unnecessary.

(3) The third class of men, who are called yfcUa <JA|
Ahli-Zakir, are those who are only men of external
world and are either illiterate or literate only in exoteric
learning, but possess no light of heart nor any spiri-
tual or Divine Knowledge.

Therefore it is essentially necessary that every man
should have faith in Uu| Ambiyd (prophets) and tjjy
Aoliya (saints) and in their teachings and miracles. For
a Musalman it is part and parcel of his Iman (Faith).
You should remember that, as I have explained, spiritual
advancement, for the beginners, depends only on

I1O THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

practical lessons and exertions under a competent Pir.
You should also remember that if you aspire after rare
objects then you shall have to undergo hard trials and
works. Its realization is, however, still rare. The
attainment of Divine knowledge is the highest object
of the progress of human enlightenment and civilization ;
and it is foolish to seek, and impossible to realize, the
highest object of human life without the hardest trials
and exertions and the help of a most powerful and
experienced Pir. Even if you possess these two indis-
pensable requirements, still you require the special
grace of the Providence for your success. Therefore
it is necessary that you should incessantly pray to the
Gracious Lord for His .vjj Towfiq (grace or help).

POWER OF MAN'S SOUL.

So far I have explained something of the value and
superiority of Rfih-i-Insani (Human soul) on account of
its capacity for acquiring spiritual and Divine know-
ledge. And now you should further know that the
superiority of the soul lies also on its merits of angelic
nature and some OjjS Qudrat, or authority of power,
which it possesses as its original attribute and which
is not given by Providence to any other class of created
beings. This I shall now try to explain.

The material world has been placed by the Great
Administrator under the control and management of
the spiritual world, consisting of angels and other

POWER OF MAN'S SOUL. m

angelic beings, who, under His orders, manage the
affairs of this world. Therefore when it becomes
necessary for the benefit of the creation, and desirable
in the knowledge of the Great Allah, the angels cause
rain to fall on earth and blow the wind. Similarly, they
control also other meteorological contingencies. They
give shape and figure to young animals in the womb
of their mothers, and generate vegetables in the womb
of earth. A distinctive regiment of angels are engaged
for the management of each class of works of the
physical world.

Man's Soul is also of angelic order, and is generally
vested with some authority over the physical creation.
The sphere of physical world ordinarily allotted to
the Soul of every man, is his own Body. His Body is
placed under the direct control of his Soul. You know
that the seat of Soul is not the finger of human body,
as the finger possesses neither the knowledge nor the
will. Yet the finger moves when it is ordered by the
Soul to move. When the Soul assumes the character
of anger, sweat comes out of entire Body. Similarly,
when any other passion predominates over the Soul,
that particular organ of human Body which is an
instrument for the use and satisfaction of that passion,
becomes at once ready for its service. When the Soul
desires to eat, the particular place under the tongue
begins to emit water for helping the process of eating
and digestion. So it may be easily ascertained and
understood that the authority of the Soul is in force in
the entire Body of Man. Therefore, the Body is obedient
to the Soul. That is, the Soul governs the Body.

112 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

But the wonderful revelation that I will make to
you is the fact that some souls have been vested by Pro-
vidence with far more superior powers, higher angelic
characters and greater supernatural forces. Such a
Soul commands, beside the Body under his direct
control, also the souls and bodies of other persons and
other beings in the creation. As for instance, when a
man, possessing such a superior soul, stands in front of
a wild tiger, the force and power of his soul shall
at once exercise an awe-inspiring influence over that
ferocious animal, and bring it to obedience. By the
force of such a man's will, a sick man will be cured and
a sound man will fall ill. If he wills strongly that a
particular man should come to him, it will work like
a galvanic current upon that particular man's soul, and
generate a desire therein to come to him. Similarly, by
the command of his strong will rain shall fall when it
is not at all expected. AH these are practicable and
have been established by reason and confirmed by ex-
perience and trial.

What is called ^oLw^ysu* Sihr and /^^(enchant-
ment and necromancy) is also an outcome of the power
of Soul, exercised over other souls and bodies. But
they are rendered Haram, or unlawful, by Islam, as
they are acquired by impure methods and used for
harmful objects.

If a man of sinister nature and evil force desires to
kill a simple animal by force of JU*A> Hasad, or
malice, that animal shall at once be killed. This is cal-
led ^ <*> Bad Nazar (Evil Eye), The Great Prophet
says :

POWER OF MAN'S SOUL. H3

"Evil sight sends a man to the grave and a camel
into sands."

Some modern philosophers of Europe have given a
very high prominence to Mesmerism, Hypnotism, Spiri-
tualism and other phenomenal science of that class.
But what all these science profess to attain to and
di*play are trifles in the opinion of Musalman
Sufis; as they are circumscribed within the limited
sphere of animal and physical magnetism and commands
only a small province of material and mental regions,
and some impure souls of lower stratum. They have
no access to the higher spheres of purer and holier
souls of Ambiya and Aoliya (Prophets and saints)
and the holy environment of Divinity. These pheno-
mena are only the display of some occult powers latent
in the physical and mental constitutions of animals,
including men, supported by the internal chemical
actions in the Body, and is, in no way, any factor in
acquiring the knowledge and enjoying the vision of the
Great Allah, and in the ultimate salvation of the Soul,
the only object of human visit to, and human work in,
this material world. Such powers are generated,
unsought for and unaimed at, in the persons of very
beginrfers in the school of practical Sufiism.

Musalman stiffs claim that there are many Musalman
saints who have shewn supernatural and miraculous

* J>

dJ

114 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

powers of highest order, such as causing a living man to
die and a dead man to revive, simply by the force of
their souls. 1 shall cite here an instance from the well
known and reliable History of India* The Tarikhi-
Ferishta ' regarding an incident in the life of Hadrat
Khwajah Ostnan Hartini, ' the Pir of Hadrat Khwajah
Mulnuddin Chishti, of Ajmeer, the recognized leader of
the Musalman saints of India. When the latter Khwajah,
taking final leave of his Pir, left Nishapur for Bagdad
Sharif, his Pir became restless at his separation and set
out himself to find out the disciple Khwajah. On his
way he happened one day to halt at a place where
the Fire- Worshippers maintained a perpetual *usJl
Atashkadah) (Fire-Pile) which they worshipped as God,
and in which they used to supply every day one hundred
Ass-loads of faggots to keep it incessantly burning.
The old Sheikh (Pir) sat down under a tree and ordered
his disciple Fakhruddin to prepare bread for his
Jftar? as he was fasting.

Fakhruddin went to Fire- worshippers and asked
of them a little fire from their Fire- Pile. They refused
to give him any re out of their sacred Fire-Pile.
Fakhruddin came back and informed the Great Sheikh
of the incident The latter slowly advanced to the

(1) Hadrat Khwajah Osman Haruni is one of the prominent
Pirs in Islam ; and his sacred tomb was at Macca Sharif, and
used to be visited by millions of devotees, but now destroyed by
Sharif 'Awn who was supposed to have imbibed Wahabi ideas.

(2) Evening breakfast of Musalmans during fasting da/s.

POWER OF MAN'S SOUL. 115

place and found an old priest of that community, named
Mukhtar, standing by the side of the Fire-Pile with a
boy of seven years on his arms. The Sheikh addressed
the priest of Fire-worshippers thus :

" Why do you worship the Fire which can be ex-
tinguished by a handful of water ? You had better
worship the Great Allah the Creator of Fire."

" In our religion," replied the priest, u the Fire has
a mighty and powerful existence. Why should we not
worship it ?"

"Can you put in your hands or feet " asked the
Sheikh "into the Fire which you are worshipping your
whole life ?"

" The nature of the Fire is to burn " rejoined the
Priest, and continuing said " Who has the power to
approach it ?"

On hearing this, the Great sheikh instantly snatch-
ed the boy from the arms of the Priest and reciting

" In the name of the most kind and merciful Allah,
O Fire be thou cool and safe for Abraham," 1 jumped
into the Fire-Pile. The news of this terrible occurrence
spread like a wild fire and about four thousand Fire-
worshippers assembled by the side of the sacred Fire-
Pile and created a great noise and lamentation.

Il6 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

After a lapse of four hours the Sheikh came out of
the Fire -Pile with the boy on his arms, so safe and
scathless that even their dresses did not show any
effect of fire. The Fire-worshippers then began to put
hundreds of questions to the boy, enquiring as to how
he passed this long time in the Fire-Pile. The Boy
replied : "I was following the foot-steps of the Great
sheikh and enjoying the charms and beauties of a
splendid garden/'

Hearing this, the entire community, in a body,
threw themselves at the feet of the Great Sheikh and
accepted Islam. He named the Priest Mukhtar
'Abdullah' and the boy 'Ibrahim/ and initiated both of
them in the secret doctrines of Sufiism. Both of them,
after a short training, attained high positions in Wilayat
(province governed by saints).

Therefore, such powers of Soul are also among the
wonders of the Creation. ^DJI/ Mujazah (Miracles
of Prophets), o^ Karamat (Miracles of Saints),
jjU Jadu (Necromancy), Mesmerism, Hypnotism,
Spiritualism &c. all are the outcome of the powers of
human Soul, called ololc ^ Kkarq-i-Adat

(Breaking the ordinary law of nature). But there are
vast differences in their characteristics and natures, as
to purity or impurity and their stages or planes of
influence.

All these unseen powers of Soul are therefore divided
into following four classes :

POWER OF MAN'S SOUL. 117

(1) Divine Powers, These powers originate from
Divinity, latent in human soul, and are acquired by lawful
methods and exertions, and utilized for noble and holy
purposes, exercised by lawful means, in high and sublime
spheres, with the main object of acquiring the know-
ledge and vision of the Great Allah, and of ultimate
salvation of the Soul.

(2) Angelic Powers, These powers originate from
the Heart of Man and are also acquired by lawful
means with the object of acquiring the knowledge of
the secrets of Creation, both material and spiritual.

(3) Animal Powers, These powers originate from
the physical and intellectual constitution of Man which
are called ' Occult Powers' by modern Philosophers,
which are acquired by innocent exertions and ultized
for purposes beneficient to mankind, such as curing
diseases and procuring informations &c.

(4) Satanic Powers, These powers originate from
satanic nature and are acquired by base and impure
methods, sometimes by invoking the help of evil spirits
or devils, utilized for ignoble and impure purposes, and
exercised by unlawful means, in low, debased and unholy
spheres, with the object of causing injury to innocent
creatures.

The Divine and Angelic powers exercised by
Ux3| Ambiya (A. S.) or prophets, are called ijjojt^
Mtfjazah, and those exercised by UJjl Aoliya (Kiram),
or saints, are called u^/*i Karamat.

JlS THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

The Animal Powers are called J)jjo*| Istidraj
(Occult Powers) which include Mesmerism, Hypnotism,
Spiritualism &c.

And Satanic Powers are called ^ Sikr and

Jadu (Enchantment and Necromancy) &c.

The last three classes of Powers have no access to,
and influence in, sublime spheres of Divine knowledge
and vision, and the ultimate salvation of the Soul.

The Spiritual Inspiration which a disciple receives
from his Pir, or Guide, produces a peculiar sensation,
called oxj Wajd c* JU. Hal (Ecstacy). In this sort
of ecstacy the Murid, or disciple, becomes galvanized :
and he shivers, strikes his hands and feet against wall and
floor, falls down and rises again, dances, and all his
external senses become, sometimes, suspended and he
becomes totally unconscious of the physical world, At
this stage he sometimes sees, by his internal light, the
things of the spiritual world. This Hal or Wajd (ecstacy)
comes and vanishes, and does not stay constantly.
This Hal or ecstacy is divided into following three
classes :

(1) jUf Asar,

(2) jUj| Anwar, and

(3) Jj^l Akwal.

(i) The jtf| Asar generates from the Physical Con-
stitution of man, called Oy^tj Nasut, which modern
philosophers designate as 'Animal Magnetism/ Beyond

POWER OF MAN'S SOUL. 119

the fact that it can operate and exercise some electric
currents on a man of weaker constitution and thereby
control his mind and actions, and cure some simple
diseases, it is of no use in any way to the spiritual
progress of Man. Mesmerism, Hypnotism &c fall
under this category.

(2) The JJ) Anwar generates from the Heart of
Man, called Malakut^ and with it emanates a Light by
means of which a, connection of the Heart with the
Spiritual or Angelic World is established. He then
sees spiritual and angelic beings in charming appear-
ances which it is impossible to describe. He some-
times becomes acquainted with the secrets of the
physical and etherial worlds, and also with future
occurrences. Even such powers are regarded as mere
preliminaries of the path of the spiritual progress of
Man, and is of no help to his final salvation or merging
in Divinity.

(3) The J|yx) Ahwal generates from the Soul of

Man and with it germinates a Spiritual Power, accom-
panied by a bright Light, which predominates all over
the body of the Murid, and gradually expands all over
the Creation. In fact, at such a state, his Soul expands
and pervades through every atom of the entire universe ;
and lastly, it merges in the Divinity. At this stage the
difference between the Creator and the Created vanishes ;
and Man, though remains man in external garb, be-
comes Allah in internal nature. On this point the
Great Lord hays in the Qoran Sharif:

;THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"He has united the currents of two oceans, with a
demarcation between them so that neither of which can
predominate over the other." 1

This state of spiritual merging- in Divinity is called
Uj Fana, as I have already explained in my last
lecture. It is at this stage of Fana that some Musalman
saints have uttered expressions which dogmatic
Moulavis have denounced as <tfjJj Zindiqah (infideli&m).

The Saint tt^^ox/* Mansur Hallaj said, j^sJ)G|

< Anal-Hag* (I am God). The >>Uau,j jjjjU ^UaL* Sultan
Ba-Yazid Bustami said, Jli Jar) U ^JLsu~ Subkani
ma-a'zama Sham. (I am Holy God. How great is
rny position and power ?) Hadrat Gousul A'zam said,
.^Xix c^acJ JLf dJU| olb Biladullahi kullun taliti hukmf

(God's entire creation is under my command). The
^ cy^x Hadrat All (A. S.) said, <jJU| jjU| Ana-
Yaaullahu' (\ am the hand of God), and jKJ Jlj G| ^
4 Ana Qoranun natiqun' (I am the speaking Qoran).

Such expressions are the exuberances caused by
Divine incitement or ecstacy to which saints are sub-
jected for a time. But such ecstacies come and vanish
and do not stay constantly.

Therefore Durweshes or saints, who utter such ex-

REVELATION, AUTHORITY, AND KNOWLEDGE. 121

pressions by an incitement of irresistible force, should
be excused.

In the Law of Sufiism all such powers, that are not
intended for acquiring Divine knowledge and enjoying
Divine vision, or for the benefit of mankind, are impure,
unholy and haram (unlawful). Display oi such powers
in a Tamasha (Performance) on stages or in public
gatherings, is strictly prohibited by Islam ; as such
actions form obstacles in the path of spiritual advance-
ment

This subject also embraces a wide sphere, and
volumes may be written on it.

One, who is ignorant of all that I have explained,

is in utter darkness as to O.AJ u^Jua*. Haqiqiit-i-

t "

Nubuwat (Secret of Prophets' mission), except
that UJJ . Uxj) Ambiya-o-Aoliya (prophets and saints)
are men possessing higher occult powers.

REVEL VTION, 1 AUTHORITY,, AND
KNOWLEDGE. 3

The powers possessed by UJJ . Uxi) Ambiya-o-
Aoliya (prophets and saints. A.S.) are divided into three
classes, namely

(1) i^JLkf Kashf (Revelation).

(2) Mukm (Authority), and

i. U&J Kash. 2. J*> ffukm. 3. > l llm.

122 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

(3) JLc //;;/ (Knowledge).

O) % / Kashf (Revelation) is a capacity of the
Heart of Man by which he can see the Spiritual World.
Prophets and Saints, by superior powers of their souls
and cleanliness of their hearts, observe, while awake,
those things and incidents of the Spiritual World, which
are hidden from the physical eyes, and which ordinary
men see occasionally only in dreams.

(2) ^ Hukm (Authority) means 'Will Force."
The souls of ordinary men can control their own phy-
sical organs and intellectual faculties only, but not other
things beyond their physical embodiments. But the
souls of prophets and saints can control also other ob-
jects besides their own bodies. They are not, however,
commissioned to exercise such powers, except for bene-
ficial purposes and by lawful means.

(3) JU Urn (Knowledge) means knowledge of both
the material and spiritual worlds. The knowledge,
which ordinary men acquire by intellectual faculties,
is acquired by prophets and saints by the superior
intuitive powers of their souls from within, without the
help of any book, teacher or intellectual lesson, and
without the assistance of ten mental faculties. Such
knowledge is directly communicated to their hearts from
the Holy and All-Wise Darbar of the Great Allah Him-
self. And knowledge from this internal source is called

IdJ J* Im-i-Ladiwni (Knowledge directly communi-

REVELATION, AUTHORITY AND KNOWLEDGE. 123

cated by Divinity), which is mentioned in the following
passage of the Qoran Sharif :

" And whom We have taught knowledge from Our-
selves ' n

Every *j Nabi (Prophet) or JL Wali (Saint) pos-
sesses all, or at least any of, these three powers. But
they vary according to the y: Uruj (ascent) and
<nu> Martabah (status) of each in the Spiritual World.

To show to what a stage of spiritual elevation Man
can ascend and what a power he can achieve and excr-
ete, I give below the translation of an extract from the
well known Arabic work of Hadrat Gousul Azam
Sheikh Saiyad Abdul OadirJilamV called the c-^jjj) A*
Futithul Gaib :

c) c cJ^I ijp Utc UjJ ^ <L_xJj: ^ ( 1 )

j. Hadrat Saiyad Sheikh Abdul Qadir, the greatest of Musal-
man saints, was born at Jilan, in Persia, in 471 Hijri Era, and his
father's name was Saiyad Abu Saleh. He was educated at Bagdad.
For thirty-five years he was in wilderness undergoing hard Reya-
dat, or asceticism ; and he became the greatest Pir and the foremost
man of his time both in external and internal knowledge, and also
the greatest teacher and orator of the age. Died in Bagdad in 561
Hiju.Era. Even at present, his sacred tomb is guarded and
honoured in a grand style by the Turkish Government. He

started a specific AA^JO Tariqah^ or system or fraternity, of spiri-
tual training known at piesent as TaHgah-i-Qaderiyak. His holy
tomb is visited by millions of devotees. His biography is written
by many eminent writers in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu

languages and consists of many bulky volumes,
Bah j at ul Asrar^ ^A-b^l &-t Roudatur Reyukin and

124 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

" The Great Allah says in the Holy Qoran, ' Those
"who have exerted their best to get me I guide them on
"in the path to me.' In another passage he says,
" 'Rely on Allah, and follow His directions and He will
"give you the knowledge of both the external and internal
" worlds/ Then you will be vested with His authority
" or vicegerency, to create things out of non-existence ;
" and to control the entire universe by exercising
" supernatural and miraculous powers. Then you will
" create things and control the creation, by His per-
41 mission which is clear and distinct and admits of
" no obscurity, nor of any doubt or uncertainty, by
" His clear authorities which are like the brilliant Sun,
" by charming language, which is far more charming
"than all the charms of the world, by revelations that
" are true, and free from any doubt, and pure from all
u amimal propensities and passions and the instigation
" of the fallen Satan. And The Great Allah has said
" in some of His Books, * O child of Adam, I am your
" Allah, and there is no Allah but Myself. When 1 order
" a thing 'to be/ it becomes, i. e. it comes to existence
"out of non-existence. Obey Me, and I shall render
" you so capable, and vest you with such powers, that

Qalatdut Jawahir are prominent among them. His lectures are
compiled in famous Arabic works, w^jJl yi Futuhul Gaib and
Majalisus Sittin> ^A^UaJl <$Ljui Gunyatut

though passes under his name, is not his compositions or
utterances.

REVELATION, AUTHORITY AND KNOWLEDGE.

" when you shall order a thing * to be,' it shall also come
" to existence/ And certainly the Great Allah has done
" so in the case of, and has vested with such authorities,
" many of His prophets, saints and special favourities,
" among the children of Adam." 1

1 t

/ /

Whoever sings the praise of my Beloved, speaks the-
i-t charming language.

J^ - /* jb

XX,*.* 4^uuX AXX XA A^XXX4 v&X XX ^JL X' X X

,.

- txlu* ^jj j^jj Ujii ) ; cVAU. ^jj) ; ^IjJ AJU) JU^ (')

x *xx tf- x> ,4 > ^i, ^*^<xx x xX ^x x x 4x ^X x x x

wfjlxir o^ ^ AJJ| ^Jjo ; JJf iyij| ; J^jj^c *JJ| JU ;

/ *./

- 31 J|

x'x x xx. x

X ^ XX*

XX >X X^ A it X A

J! JlS ^utJJl

XXX

U] K! *J|

AX XX XXX AX X ^ ^^XX A ^ A 4

xx A x A i* xx x x A x

o /->! ^ y/ *^l^ ; JW)1 >

1 X ^ X XX XX X ^

326 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Early at dawn, the morning breeze brings the news
of curling hairs of my Beloved.

My Pir, or Spiritual Guide, communicates the secrets
of Divine Ecstacy to those hearts that are alive and
spiritualized.

JJ^Jl - <* )\j j]j -*Ju-vX^ % j]j &>)J ^s^^-oJlx^O c js*

The bird of the secret or spiritual garden thus sings
pathetically early in the morning

^ f*

That by the internal eyes of your heart do not see
any thing else, except your Friend (the Great Allah).
Whatever you observe know it to be a manifestation
of Him.

LECTURE V.

The intellectual eyes of all men are blind before the
dazzling brilliance of your Holy Face.

w_$U jj* j^x alj^jAt^A * JJob &^j& t> ^ Y ^

Those, who are expert in the Grand Road of Allah,
do not tread in a wrong foot path.

* K-O.IA.

The firy sighs of my heart has burnt my bones ;
and has ultimately set fire to the heap of straws
(physical world).

If you become, for a moment, free from non-God,
or creation, you shall hear from the tongue of every
being.

L~*9> j*. ^^ Jj

That by the internal eyes of your Heart do not see
anything else, except your Friend (Allah). Whatever
you observe, know it to be a manifestation of Him.

128 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

THE POSITION OF THE PROPHET
OF ISLAM.

In the faith of Musalman Sufis, who believe in the
missions of all Divine Messengers, the special merits
and qualifications of our Great Prophet of Isl&m lie
in the fact that he inherently possessed all the three
powers mentioned in the last lecture Revelation,
authority and knowledge in the highest degree of
perfection, which was never attained by any other
prophet who preceded him. So he is placed by his
followers as the last, greatest and head of 1,24,000
prophets, beginning from Hadrat Adam (A. S.),
who have visited this world, and is regarded by them
as the most perfect and complete embodiment of the
combined merits, attributes and powers of all of them.
So a Persian poet has sung

" Prophetic mission was first manifested in the
person of Hadrat Adarn (A. S.), and its perfection was
completed in the person of the Last Prophet" 1

Again another poet says

"The beauty of Joseph, (A. S.), the life-giving breath
of Jesus (A. S,) and miraculous hands of Moses, (A. S.)
you alone possess all these the qualifications that are

j^ - 1

(U

o 4

Oj *.j

THE POSITION OF THIS PROPHET OF ISLAM. 129

possessed individually by all the handsomfe men
{prophets) of the world." 2

These powers of his Soul, the Great Prophet trans-
mitted to some of his foremost disciples. From two of
them, Hadrat Abu Bakar Siddiq and Hadrat 'AH (R. A.),
these powers have, by different Jo Turq (plural of
dJq Jp Tariqah) or system, method or fraternity), come
down, or been transmitted, from soul to soul, through
successive generations of Pirs or Murshids (spiritual
guides), to those of the present age. 1 Such powers
cannot be achieved by mere study of books or by
means of mental functions,

2 Of these gj* Turq, or systems, four prominent systems or
fraternities of Suffism are in force in India, namely

(1) f>yU j&jlo Tariqah-i-Qdderiyah>

(2) AJ&A. &kjlo Tartqah-i-Chishtiyak)

(3) AJO^^- fojo Tariqah-i-Sahrawardiyak, and

(4) d^^x^Ai &**jl Tartqah-i-Naqshabandiyah.

Tariqah-i-Mujaddadiyah, is regarded as a branch of
Naqsha-bandiyah. The first three have branched off from Hadrat
'AH Murtudd (R. A.) and the fourth, from Hadrat Abubakar Siddiq
(R. A.). There are some other systems prevalent in Arabia,
Egypt, Africa, Asia minor, Central Asia and other countries,
such as-

(1) *JiU &b^L Tariqah-i'Shdzaliyah)

(2) jJUt &Uji Tariqah-i-Qsmaniyah,

(3) d^yi &jy Tartqah-i-Ulawwtyah) and

(4) *uy* iw^ Tart qah-i-Mur gamy ah) and others.
9

ISO THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Any one having a desire to acquire these powers
and the knowledge of the Spiritual Plane and Divine
Environment, must take rinitiation and practical lessons
from a competent and recognized Pir who has been
vested with i^JttA. Khildfat (Divine Authority or
Viceroyalty) to inspire, {or transmit such spiritual
powers to, disciples.

The practical methods^of ^o Tctlim (Teaching)
embrace also a very wide field and consists of different
processes of asceticism, which is beyond the province
of this elementary lecture. Besides, it is not permitted
by the great teachers of this branch of learning to give
an open explanation, in a public manner, of these secret
methods; because such explanations, unless accompanied
by practical exertions andf lessons, are liable to create
misconceptions, resulting in misguidance.

TANAZZULAT-I-SITTAH.

OR
SIX STRATA OF DESCENT, OR.

THE THEORY OF DEVOLUTION.

As regards Faith, Sufis are divided into three classes,
namely

1 I ) A)I>UBJ I ^Ijddiyah,

(2) <u.<J*y^ Shahddiyah, and

(3) *i*> Wajtidiyah.

TA N AZZULAT-I-SITTAH. 1 3 1

On the principles of JJ^J Tawhid (Unity of Divinity)
they differ from each other.

The Ijadiyah believe that the whole Universe, (/. e.
all besides the personality of Great Allah) is His
creation ; and on acconnt of being created by Him, it
exists independently of Him, or the Personality of the
Great Creator. And all the attributes of this Creation,
such as intellect, knowledge &c, are also included in the
creation. On this point the Ijadiyah sect agree
with the Alt t^Uir Ulimd-i-Zdhir (Men of exoteric

learning).

They believe in the existence of the Phenomena
apart and distinct from the Noumenon, and they think
that the Creator bears the same relationship to the
Creation, as the Artist to his Art, or the Painter to his
Painting. Thus they believe in the existence of
numerous personalities. As the Ij^diyas also undergo
the exertions and practical lessons for spiritual advance-
ment, they are included in the category of Sufis.
This is called, in the language of Sufis, the Theory of
c^*^ ;) <u& 'Hamah-az-Os? (All from Him).

The Shahudiyah sect believe that the Universe is
a 'Shadow' in contradistinction to the* 'Substance 1 , the
Great Creator ; and that it (the universe or creation)
exists apart from the personality or existence of the
Great Allah, that is, beyond the sphere of Divinity, not
independently as aSubject or Substance, butdependently
as an Object or Shadow. Its existence depends on

132 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

the existence of the Great Allah, as the existence of
the shadow depends on the existence of the substance ;
because, the shadow can not stand or exist without the
substance.

None of the above two sects believes in the 'Unity
of Existence'. The Shahudiyah, however, believes in
OyyAJl SvXft- Wahdat-ush- Shah fid (Unity of Vision) ; that
is, they believe that during the time of spiritual ecstacy
all material and ethereal objects appear one in their
vision, which, in fact, are different. This is called the
Theory of L^^-J k <UA 'Hamah-ba-Ost* (All with Him).

The Wajtidiyah sect believe that there is only one
'Unity or Oneness of Existence 1 ; that is, 'There is no
existence but of One', which is, in the faith of Sufis, the
only meaning of *U| | <J[ 'La llaha Ilia Allati.

This o^j Wajud, or Existence, is attributed as, or
called, v**ajj Wdjib (Eternal Necessity, Reality or
Existence); and the entire Creation, both iJuAJ' ^ ^Juiia.)
Latif'O'Kasif (Ethereal and Material), are its manifesta-
tions, called <i*j* Mumkin (Possible or Contingent
Existence), formed by a process called Jjjj Nazul
(Devolution), all of which are JU Fdni (Perishable or
Vanishable). This is called the Theory of ci^| <UA
'Hamah-Osf (All are He).

In short, both the Ij&diyah and the Shahudiyah
believe that VJ/ */ o^ Wajdd-i-Mumkin (Object- World

or Creation) is distinct and separate from

TANAZSULAT-I-SITTAH. 1 35

Wajud-i-Wdjib (Subject- World or Creator) from all
points of view; whereas the Wajftdiyah believe that
both Wajud-i-Mumkin and Wajftd-i- Wajib are identical,
the former being the manifestation of the latter, and
the latter, the essence or secret of the former. Again,
the Ijadiyah maintain, between the Creator and the
Created, only the tbsfy Rdbitak (Medium) of Creation.
The Shahftdiyah, while accepting the relation of
Creation, maintain the dik^ Rdbitak or medium of
shadow or vision. And lastly, the WajikHyah, while
accepting both the theories of Creation and Shadow,

maintain the <jJajK R&bitah or medium of

Mctiyat-i-Wajud (Co-existence of Divinity). This is
called the medium of o^ Wajud.

As the humble speaker himself is a disciple of the
Wajudiyah sect of Sufis, and as for those, who are
desirous of seeking spiritual knowledge according to
the (jJLJL* Silsilah (System or Fraternity) this humble
speaker belongs to, it is essentially and indispensably
necessary at first to become thoroughly acquainted with
the doctrines of Wahdat-ul-Wajftd and to establish
unflinching faith on them, I consider it advisable to
describe at some length the prominent grounds on
which this well-known Theory of o%^J| iijuxj Wahdat-ul-
Wujtid or ci-^l &*jfc Hamah-Ost is based, as explained
by some very eminent Musalman Doctors of this Secret
Philosophy.

134 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

The wSrd o^x, 'Wajud' is of Arabic origin; and
literally it means 'to be' or 'to become'. In the technical
phraseology of Sufiism it, however, means 'An ever-
existent Essence or Supreme Being, which exists
independently, and from which all other objects have
emanated'. It is the Grand Essence ; and beyond the
sphere of this Essence, existence of no other object is
possible. From this point of view, by the word o^*
*Waju# the Sufis signify the Great Allah Himself. 1

This Wajftd has neither any appearance or form, nor
any limit or end ; yet it has manifested itself in innumer-
able appearances, forms and finite objects ; and at the
same time it has undergone no change from its original
state of formlessness and illimitableness. Even with
the variety of manifestations it is, as it originally was.

This Theory is thus illustrated. The original purport
of all Divine Books, before they were communicated to
respective Divine Messengers, was one and the same
and was pure from the contingent conditions of <>j^
Hudus (possible, Contingent or Perishable Existence),
and free from the requirements of shape, boundary and
variety.

When this Divine Purport was clothed in human
language, it assumed different names ; such as, The

1 This Theory is taken from jjoJf >jy*A Fastis-itl- Hekam by
Imim Muhiyuddin-al-'Arabi and ^^Jlf eUJu Nafh&t-ul-Un* by
Moulini Jimi, also Masnawi Sharif by Moulin^ Rumi. These
three are famous works on Islamic Philosophy.

TANAZZULAT-I-SITTAH. 135

Bible, The Qoran, and so on. When from singularity it
assumed plurality, it was reckoned as one Qoran, ten
Qorans, one thousand Qorans, and so on. When it
assumed shapes and boundaries, it was spoken of as
half-a-foot sized Qoran, one foot sized Qorzin, and so on.
When it was qualified by changes, it was mentioned as
that a Qoran was burnt, another sunk in water, a third
was stolen, and a fourth was torn, and so on.

Thus, the single Qoran became, on account of
assuming material shape, subject to innumerable quali-
fications to which was also attached various contingent
conditions of changable and perishable matter. Yet
the original Divine Purport was subjected to no defect or
blemish, and its state of eternity and singularity was
not affected in any way. These attributes and changes
are applicable to the Qoran of human language, not to
the Qoran of Divine Purport. This proves or estab-
lishes the Theorem

"An eternal and single Subject or Substance does
not lose its eternity or singularity on account of its
assuming different characters, being atrributed by differ-
ent qaalifications, undergoing different conditions and
changes, and being designated by different names."

Similarly, the Unity of the Personality or Essence of
Allah does not undergo any defect or lose its eternity
or singularity, on account of His Manifestation in
the Physical World in various characters, shapes and
bodies.

136 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

The Wajftd is one, but its manifestations are innu-
merable and of various forms and characters ; as the
Divine Purport of the Qoran is one, but the Qoran
written or printed on papers are various in number,
form and character.

The Wajud is the Secret and Essence of the entire
Ethereal and Material Creation. Even one atom of the
Creation is not devoid of, and free from this Wajud; as
the Purport of the Qoran is the Secret of all the Qorans
written or printed on papers, and no material Qoran is
free from the Purport of the Qoran.

Human Intellect can not ascertain and realize
the Secret of this Wajud. Mental senses, external
and internal, have no access to its holy and sublime
environment, because, they belong to the perishable
Object- World which can not reach the sphere of the
imperishable Subject- World.

One, who has tried to find out this Wajud only by
intellectual powers, has wasted his life in vain. 1

1 The great Musalm&n Philosopher-Poet Hakim Sanai of
Gazni says :

Ojj Jjkf^j jytTb g& jjc ^ *LJ U J&c b j^xr

(Divine) Love with Intellect is incomplete. What Love can be
complete with Religion and Heresy ?

"Love is far above the sphere of Intellect and soul." "At one
time I am with God" refers to a time for brave men only.

TAN AZZULAT-I-SITTAH. 1 37

The WajHd has stages. In the faith of Sufis, at
first or before creation, there was nothing but the
Essence of the nameless and attributeless Wajiid or

Again the great Astronomer, Philosopher and Mystic-Poet
Omar Khaiydm says :

J|^-0 Jo.

,JU j c^-ojij ^/^-^ jO^ ju *J

s

JL, Ux> U^AJ ^ ^1G ^U IS
dj }j i* JU ;|

Divine secrets can not be solved by (intellectual) enquiries ; nor
by spending money and valuables. Unless you tax your soul and
drink life blood for fifty years, you can not find your way from
external knowledge to internal inspiration.

y ,u ij Jji

y

The secrets of the original day of creation neither you know
nor I. It is a cypher-sign (riddle) which neither you can decypher
nor I. It is behind the scene that there is a talk of you and I.
If the scene be dropped there remain neither you nor I.

The great Mystic-Poet Hafiz says :

.f

4t Go on with the story of the singer and wine (beloved and
love), and do not seek the secrets of the time ; as no one has
decyphered this secret by means of Philosophy.

138 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Allah. When the merciful Allah desired a manifestation
of Hfs beauties and attributes, He created the entire
Creation, ethereal and material, by a process of descent
or devolution or manifestation, out of Himself, in six
days, by six stages, which bears a reference to the
following passage in the Holy Qoran :

"He is the Allah, Who has created the Heavens and
"the Earth and all between them in six days, and then
settled or centralised Himself on "Arsh 5 (Throne). 1

Hence all the stages of Wujiid have been classified
into seven strata. Of these, the first Stratum is called
^jiAjJ &xy<> Martabah-i-LaTa'aiyun (Latent or un-

manifested stage) and the remainder six are called
otu*i ^-y^f* Mardtib-i-Ta'aiyundt (Stages of manifes-

tations). The process of devolution from spiritual to
material world is called J^jj Nazul (Descent) ; and the
process of evolution from material to spiritual world is
called .y: 'Uruf (Ascent). Hence the six stages of
manifestation, or devolution, of the spiritual Wajud to
the material Creation are, in the language of Sufis,

called tfL olkii' Tanazzul&t-i-Sittah (six strata or stages
of descent).

X I I XXX A * AlX

Jj *1J! (lj

j^v Jl ^ Jtj*)\ JLc

AX* XX IX A

TANAZZULAT-I-SITTAH. 1 39

The details of this process of devolution are thus
explained and analysed :

I. c^jj^) &xy Martabah-i-Ahdiyat or Martabah-i-

s

Ld-Ta'atyun (sta^e of Supreme Divine Essence or
Personality, free from names and attributes).

II. oLvxlo < *o'L* Maratib-i-Ta'aiyiinat (Stages of

manifestations). They ars classified as follows :
(i) OJo i-^* Martabah-i- Wahdat or

JJaqiqat-i-Muhammadiyah (Stage of the Essence of
Prophet Hadrat Muhammad S. A. S.) ;

(2) e^j j^U ixy* Martabah-i- Wahidiyat or LJ| c^axik.

Jj *J C/ ,

Haqiqat-i-lns&n (Stage of the Essence of Man) ;

(3) Lj| JLc &xJy* Martabah-i-' Alant-i Arwdh (Stage
^sJ [^ yj

of the sphere of human souls, or Angelic World) ;

(4) Jit* JLc ikyo Martabah'i-'Alam-i-Mis&l (Stage

of the sphere of Ethereal Objects) ;

(5) ^L*^! JLc &xy* Martabah-i-' A lam-i-Ajs&m (Stage
/ /

of the Material World) ; and

(6) ^LJ| JLc &Jy* Martabah-i'Alam-i-Ins&n (Stage

's /

of the sphere of Mankind).

The stage I of Martabah-i-Ahdiyat or L^-Ta 'aiyun,
is also called ^*U La-Makan> oybS La-Hut and i^S
La-Zahur.

The stage II (i) of Martabah-i- Wahdat and the

140 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

II (2) of Martabah-i-Wahidiyat, are also called
Jabrut.

The stage 1 1 (3) of Martabah-i-'Alam-i-Arwah and
stage II (4) of Martabah-i-Alam-i-Misal, are also called
OjXU Malakut.

The stage II (5) of Martabah-i-'Alam-i-Ajsam and
the stage II (6) of Martabah-i-'Alam-i-Insan, are also
called oy U Nasut.

In the first stratum of La-Ta'aiyun, the Wajild is a
non-manifestation or essence free from any name or
attribute, and is simply the colourless 'Unity of Divine
Existence*. This is the secret of the Great Allah, and
above this, there is no higher, holier and purer stage
of Divine Existence. This stratum is called

Martabah-i-Ahdiyat (the stage of the Essence of Divine
Unity).

The 'first stratum of descent' is the Essence of our
Grand Prophet Hadrat Muhammad (S. A. S-). At
this stage the Wajud recognized its own Personality
and Attributes, and the entire Creation as a whole,
and at the same time maintained a mutual distinction
between them. As for example, the Lawh-i-Mahfuz
(Preserved Tablet of Destiny) is the first descent
of the Divine Purport of the Qoran Sharif. This
stratum cr stage is called the 00*^ &fy Martabah-i-

Wahdat or <jjj**i/o u^-Jui'.^ Haqiqat-i-Muhammadiyah

(Essence of Prophet Hadrat Muhammad S. A. S.) which

TANAZZULATI-I-SITTAH. 141

includes and embodies the essences and secrets of
all the prophets that preceded him.

The 'second stratum of descent' is the Essence of
Man. At this stage the Wajud recognized its own
Personality and Attributes and the entire Creation in
details, which in their turn recognized each other with
distinction. As for example, the intellect of Angel
Jibraii (Gabriel) A. S., through whom the Qoran Sharif
was communicated to our Prophet, is the second descent
of the Divine Purport of the Holy Qoran. This
stratum is called ci^duxU &*V Martabah-i- Wahidiyat or

^ LJ) e^xftJiftA. Haqiqat-i-lnsan (Essence of Man).

*
The 'third stratum of descent' is |^| JU l Alam-i-

Arwah (the world of souls). It includes also oJ3U

' A lam-i-Malakut( Angelic World and Intellectual Plane).
As this stage the Wajud enters the sphere of creation
and assumes simple spiritual forms, free from matter
and composition. These spiritual objects manifest
themselves as spiritual beings called the souls. As for
examples, the Intellect of our Great Prophet is the
third descent of the Divine Purport of the Qoran
Sharif.

The 'fourth stratum of descent' is Jti/* JLc *Alam-i-

' s

Misal (Ethereal World). At this stage the WajM
assumes the forms of compound, ethereal and indivisible

142 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

objects. As for example, the Intellect of

Sihabah-i-Kiram (noble ccmpanions of the Prophet)
is the fourth descent of the Divine Purport of the Qoran
Sharif.

The 'fifth stratum of descent 1 is *L*aJ Jlr

' ' '/

Ajsam (Material World). At this stage the Wajud
assumes the forms of compound, physical (material) and
divisible objects. As for example, the memory of
Huffaz (plural of Hafiz, i.e. one who has got the whole
Qoran by heart) is the fifth descent of the Divine
Purport of the Qoran Sharif.

The 'sixth stratum of descent' is ^LJI JLc l Alam-i-

Insan (the sphere or plane of Mankind). At this stage
the Wajud assumes the form of Man, and is the embodi-
ment of all the strata mentioned above. It includes all
the preceding stages of manifestations Physical,
Ethereal, Spiritual, Wahidiyat, Wahdat and Ahdiyat
and is the last manifestation, last physical embodi-
ment, and last assumption of material garb of The
v*ft.j o)i Zat-i- Wahdat-ul- Wajud (Essence of

the Unity of Divinity). As for example, the volume
of papers on which the Qoran Sharif is written or
printed is the sixth descent of the Divine Purport of the
Qoran Sharif.

Of all the seven stages, the first three are Qadim
[eternal), and all of them combined form Wajud-i*

TANAZZULATI-I-SITTAH. 143

Wajib. They are beyond the province or reach of
cbjjux Hudus (possible contingencies of creation), i

Hence the Wajudiyah Theory of the Faith of Sufis,
That there is no Allah apart from the Creation or
Nature or the Universe, every thing, besides His
Essence, being considered a manifestation of Him.

When a man by ^ l Uruj(Ascent or Evolution)

passes through all the stages of Wajud mentioned
above, in such a manner that he may manifest in him-
self all the higher six stages, with full development and
expansion, he is called J^f LJ) Insan-i-Kamil (Perfect

Man). This is the ultimate goal of oolxc 'Ibadat
(Divine service and worship), for which Man is created ;
and this bears a reference to the passage in the Holy
Qoran which says :

"I have not created Gin and Man except for my
service and worship." 1

Musalmans believe and profess that the highest

1 The two terms ci^l*. ^ +>.&* Qadim and Hadis, called also
^v* 5 .yo.l 5 Wajib and Mumkin, are important in the phraseology

of Sufis. Qadim or Wajib means 'that whose existence is
* indispensably necessary'. Hence 'Eternal,' Therefore it means
'Allah'. Hadis or Mumkin means 'that whose existence is con-
tingent or possible'. Hence, it means 'the Creation'.

144 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

development of all the seven strata of Wajud was
manifested in the person of, and the highest human
ascent from material plane to Divine sphere was achieved
by, the Great Prophet of Islam.

This is the sum and substance of the theory of
creation, and the theory of Devolution as explaiued
by Musalman Doctors of Spiritual Philosophy.

Different stratum of this Wajiid has got a different
name. Although the same Wajud exists in all the
strata, yet to call the object of one stratum by the name
of the object of another, is not correct. Hence, to
qualify the objects of lower strata of creation with the
names of higher strata of Divinity, and vice versa,
is not JU/^X or lawful. Therefore to call the Great
'Allah' by the name ; Man', and to call 'Man' by the
name 'Allah', is strictly prohibited. Accordingly, Shari'at
enjoins strict maintenance and observance of distinction
between different strata of the Grand, Single, All-Perva-
ding and Ever-Existent Wajxld or Allah.

All the leading Musalman saints, such as Hadrat
Gous-ul A'zam Saiyad Shaykh Abdul Q&dir Jilani,
Hadrat Khw&jah Mu'inuddin Chishtee, Hadrat Imam
Gazali, Hadrat Imam Muhiyuddin-al-'Arabi, Maulana
Abdur Rahman Jami, Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi,
Shamsuddin Hafiz (Q. A. S.) and others, belong to
Wajftdiyah class of Sufis.

Great Doctors of Sufiism have laid the foundation
of this Theory of Wahdat-ul Wajiid (Unity of Divinity)
on the following passages of the Qoran Sharif :

TANAZZULATM-SITTAH. 145

1. "And to him (Man) We are nearer than his
jugular vein". 1

2. "And He (Allah) is with you wherever you be".*

3. "And We are nearer to him than you ; but you
do not see Us". 8

4. "And to Allah belongs the East and the West ;
therefore, to whichever direction you turn yourself there
is the face of Allah". 4

5. "Verily they who swear fealty to you (Muham-
mad S. A. S.), swear fealty to Allah. The hand of
Allah is over their hands'*. 5

6. "He (Allah) is the first and the last, the manifest
and the hidden' 1 . 6

AX/I AX 4 AX ^XAX AX X

***+ X XAX A J/S X^ X

XxT U

C

JL u *x '/ / tfx> XXAXX ^ A x* x ^ A XA X x

dji'i AA.J jii f4>

j r y^Jl

X ^x xl x 4 ^ x^

JJ| JJ fe ill)

IO

146 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

7. 'There are (Allah's) signs on Earth for believers,
and in your ownselves : do not you see them ? >a

8. "When My servants ask thee concerning Me :
verily I am near them", 2

9 "Neither did you (O Muhammad) cast the gravel
into their eyes, when you did cast it, but Allah cast it".*

10. "Allah pervades all things, i. e t He exists
in every thing".*

From the Hadis (Traditions) Sharif of our Grea
Prophet I quote the following in support of this view of
Wajud :

(i) "Among the utterances of Arabs, the most true
are the words of Labid who has said, 'Beware, that all

XX *jt __

jjLij J c^ori ; . J) t;'i-.i! i.. *i .A. MI ; . ^ !)

\ Ui^jO

/ / / / /

] .

f c

TANAZZULATM-SITTAH. 147

things that are besides Allah, are JLb Batil (non-
existent)" 1

(2) "Verily, when one of you stand for prayer, he
calls only his Lord, because his Lord exists between
him and his Qeblah (the house of Ka'bah)."*

(3) "The Great Allah says, ( My servant who attains
to my environment by means of J^Lj Nawafil (Optional
devotions), becomes immortal ; and at last I make him
My beloved. When I make him My beloved, I become
his ears by which he hears, his eyes by which he sees,
hi* hands by which he catches, his tongue by which
he speaks, and his feet by which he walks,"' 8

X XX X S XX* XAXX XX XX*

"" 0)

/ A ss

Jfcb 4JLJI JLL

(, X ''tf X A X^ XX X I X

.*?; ^^^JJ y-*'

'Vl^;^^

(3)

^XXX X ^X A X

5 .XlJ ^ <JJ
x J ' J x'x

AX^^AXX ^ A/A< ^X XXX ^ AX AX XXX X

i< ' *^*^J 5 Cx*" Vj? ^5 ^ V^'*" L->^ * *^ ^

X XXX X X / XX XX

X A ^

l , -,

148 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

(4) "Verily, the Great Allah, addressing Moses
(A. S.) said 'I became ill, why^did you not see me ! I
became hungry, why did you not give me food ? I begg-
ed of you, why did you not give me alms, 1 ?" 1

(5) "'I swear by One, in whose hands are Muham-
man's soul, that if you throw the bucket by rope on the
earth surely it will fall on Allah.' Then the Prophet
(S. A. S.) read, 'He is the first and the last, the mani-
fest and the hidden. He knows all things/ " a

There are innumerable Hadises and writings of the
Im&ms of Secret Doctrines in support of the Theory of
Wahdatul-Wajiid ; but they are avoided as thev will be
too voluminous for this elementary address.

If any one contends that the phrase j^J) !JIA^.
Wahdatul-Wajud or i^-^l <UA Hamah-Ost does not
appear any where in the text of the Qoran Sharif and
Hadis Sharif, the simple reply is, that although every
musalmcln recognizes the necessity of^j Wadu (ablu-

.ikjJ A (^^JlJL. y iaJfclftJ

Jixax) JjJj Jj] J Joo

^ >l"l ** SS S

x ^i 4 4xx xx 4^ X xx x xx

X x/ux

TANAZZULATI-I-SITTAH. 149

tion) and performs it several times a day, but the term
^x>. 'Wadu* itself does not appear in the Qor&n Sharif
and Hadis Sharif. Yet every MusalmAn accepts the
order mentioned in the following passage of the Qoran
Sharif.

"Wash your face, hands and feet, and rub a part of
your head, and your feet up to the lower joint," (i) as
meaning the process now understood by the term yc-
'Wadu* ; and the Im&ms of Sharii 'at have taken this
jj Ayat (passages) as the authority on Wadu.

The authorities or Im&ms of Shari 'at, in fact, after
collecting and considering all Ay&t and Ahadis (pas-
sagea from Qoran Sharif and Hadis Sharif) on some
particular point of Muhammadan Law, have laid down a
general Rule on that point and they have termed or
designated such Rule by some technical name for easy
reference and understanding. Similarly, The Imams of
Tariqat, or Secret Doctrines, also, after collecting and
considering all passages from Qoran Sharif and Hadis
Sharif, have laid down a general Rule on every point of
the Law of Tariqat which they have designated by
some technical term. 'Wadfi', 'Wahdatul-Wajud, 1 and
others fall under the category of such terms.

(1)

I5O THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"I am the Light that was latent in La-Makan
(Divine attributeless Essence). In my original dawn of
light I was the observer and the observed/'

"There was no talk of this world, or creation, nor
any sign of Adam (A. S.), that I used to be delighted
by the vision of my own beauty."

"With a view to dispel the idea of partnership with
God, and of the existence of any thing else but God, I
have manifested myself in the persons of prophets and
saints."

lt l wore the dresfc (person) of Adam (A. S.) and
became an object of the prostration of angels. Then in
the shape of Hadrat Muhammad (S. A. S.), I become
the praiser and the praised.

TANAZZULATM-SITTAH.

"At one time I became Idris, at another Shis, then
Noah, and then Junus. Again at one time I was Joseph,
at another Jacob, and then became Hud."

* 03)

'At onetime I became Saleh, at another, Abraham,
and then Ishaq (Israil). Again I was Yahya and Moses
and lastly I appeared as Jesus and David."

JL&

'*For one class of men I am an object of ready
realization, and for another, I am the promised object
for the day of Judgment."

Jo bjj

"For the brave divers in the ocean of Divine Essence
I am the desired pearl at every age and period."

JU~4> JjJ J j Jjjj 3 CiJuftA. jO>) jU>

| b ,*

4?2 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"Q Niyaz, I am, in reality, an imperisahble and un-
changable Being. But in the sphere of creation, I a
liable to destruction and annihilation.

LECTURE VI.

"One who has Your Love in his heart, the
sovereignty of the world is of no value to him."

"If you sacrifice even your head for the sake of your
Beloved it is not a loss."

J ^^ <JjjJ * OjfcjJ tf^xJJJ Jj ^XxvJ

"One, who has a beloved like Yourself, never gives
his heart to any other beauty of the world."

"One, who does not know but One, has these two
lines always on his tongue."

* ^ *5- ^

u Chat with the eyes of your heart do not see any
thing else, except your Friend (Allah). Whatever
you observe, know it to be a manifestation of Him/'

154 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

FOUR DIVISIONS OF MANKIND
AS CLASSIFIED.

BY

HADRAT GAUSUL A'ZAM.

The greatest of Musalman Auliyas (saints), Hadrat
Gausul A'zam Saiyad Sheikh Abdul Oadir Jilani, in
his eminent Arabic work the v^ojiJl -3* Futuhul
Gaib> has classified mankind into four classes, of which
following is the substance :

(i) First, A man who has neither the tongue nor
the heart. 1 He is an ordinary man, ignorant and blind.
The Great Allah does not value him in any way ; no
good exists in him and those of his class. They are
worthless and carry no weight in any matter ;
unless they are protected by the grace of the most
gracious Allah, when their hearts are guided towards
Lj) I man (Faith) and their muscular organs are
moved for discharging their ooUc 'Ibadat (duties)
to Him."

Therefore you- must take care not to be one of
them. Do not mix with their society ; do not believe
them, and do not stand among them. Because, they
are the objects of the punishment, anger and wrath of

j. 'Tongue' means the knowledge acquired by intellectual
faculties from external sources, which can be learnt, expressed or
spoken by tongue only ; and * Heart' means the knowledge of the
spiritual world, which is acquired through the medium of heart
from internal sources.

FOUR DIVISIONS OF MANKIND AS CLASSIFIED. 155

of the Mighty jl Qahhar (Punisher), and they are
the residents of the 'Fire of Heir. I beg Allah's-
shelter to avoid them."

If you are however, an <Jjb JLc 'Alim Billah (learned

V

with the knowledge of Allah) acquainted with all
that are virtuous a religious guide an attractor of
men towards religion by preaching and inspiration
and an invitor of mankind towards their Creator, -
then, and only then, you should go to such illiterate,
misguided, ignorant and savage people. Under such
circumstances it is your duty to associate with them
and call them to obedience to the Great Allah, ta
warn them against, and save them from, disobedience
to Him. In that case you will be, before the Mighty
Providence, a great propagator of all that are good,
and you will receive the rewards allotted to Divine
Messengers and Prophets. Once, the Great Prophet,
addressing his prominent disciple and son-in-law,
Hadrat 'AH, (A. S.) said :

'O 'AH, if through your guidance, the Great Allah
admits one man in His path, such a work of yours is
more valuable than that part of the universe upon which
the sun shines." 1

X . X> S A / A* 4 XX , /, A /OX XX ^

-04* .1) ^L*J **L* dJJ) J^ Jl*

S W 4 * ' * S

4XX A XXX 4

X* x

156 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

(2) Secondly, A man who has the tongue, but not
the heart; that is who possesses external knowledge,
but not the internal. He speaks with knowledge,
philosophically, rationally and instructively, and
preaches knowledge and pious deeds to others ; but he
himself does not act according to those precepts ; that
is, his deeds do not agree with his words. He invites
people towards the Great Allah ; but he himself flies
away from Him. He detects vices in others ; but
he himself remains constantly submerged in the pit of
such misdeeds. He preaches purity of life to others ;
but he himself defies the authority of the Great Allah,
|nd wages war against Him by his sinful deeds. In
tiis privacy you shall find him a tiger in the garb of a
man. Such is the man against whom the great Prophet
has warned the public by saying

"Among my followers whom I fear the most are

Jux 4_ Jlr "Alimi-Be-Amal (those learned men who
v

know the right from the wrong, yet do not act accor-
dingly)."'

I seek protection of the Great Allah from such
Ulema (learned men). Be aloof, and fly away, from them ;
lest, you may be attracted by the charms of their
language, and subsequently burnt by the fire of their
sinful deeds, and ultimately killed by the poisonous
smell of their interior and fiendish heart.

U)

FOUR DIVISIONS OF MANKIND AS CLASSIFIED. 157

(3) Thirdly A man, who has the heart, but not
the tongue ; that is, who possesses the internal know-
ledge, but not the external. He is a true ../*%* Mu'min
(believer) but concealed by the Great Allah from His
other creatures, and covered by a purdah (veil) so
that men of the external world may not get an
insight into his internal knowledge and powers.
The Great Allah has given him sight to see his own
defects and demerits, has illuminated his heart, and
has enlightened him as to the evils of worldly society
and the bad effects of speech. He has learnt the lesson
that 'silence* is golden and 'seclusion 1 is a heaven of
peace and safety, as the great Prophet has said :

"One, who has become dumb has escaped (from all
troubles)/' 1

He further said :

'* ooUr 'Ibadat (service and worship) is divided
into ten part-, nine of which lie in dumbness." 2

So, he is the <d)| ^ Wali-Ullah (Friend of Allah)
who enjoys HU Confidence, and is protected and kept
in safrty by Him. He is the most wise and intelligent
companion of Allah; and the recepient of Divine

fxLoJtt

X 4 W X* S r *r r r r r r r n w .

^ * * *^ * ^ s s s s '

158 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

favours and graces. All virtues and goodness lie in
him. So, secure him, his companionship, society,
service and friendship. Engage yourself in supplying
his necessities and wants which he can not express on
account of his becoming silent, and help him in matters
that are beneficial to him. If you do so, the Great
Allah shall love you, and shall admit you in the class
of His friends, and noble and pious companions and
servants. All these favours and eminence shall be
bestowed upon you, through the c^.O barkat> or
.grace, of that silent Wali, Insha- Allah (If God wishes).

(4) Fqrthly. A man, who has both the heart and
the tongue, that is, who possesses both external and
interal knowledge. Such a man is spoken of in the
OJX* Jlc 'Alam-i-Mulkut (spiritual and angelic world)

with admiration, veneration and honor. The Hadis
Sharif says ;<

"One, who has acquired knowledge, has acted
according to th^t knowledge, and has imparted that
knowlc ge to others, is spoken of in the angelic world
with honor and veneration." 1

He is learned in the knowledge of the Great Allah
and His signs. In his heart are deposited various
kinds of knowledge that are beyond the reach of others :
and to him* the Great Allah has communicated many
jecrets and valuable knowledge that have been withheld

A S AmS/A S S /&/ S S // S S&SS A /

i e.\ . I f . A* . l^e . .i*V *t> d)

FOUR DIVISIONS OF MANKIND AS CLASSIFIED. 159

from others. The Great Allah has selected and approved
him, has attracted and guided him towards Himself,
has raised him up to His own environment, has
enlarged his heart and breast for accommodating and
confiding Divine secrets and knowledge, and has made
him most wise and propagator of all virtues, invitor
of men towards virtues and warner against their
tendencies for vices, a guide for mankind, to lead
them in the path to the Great Allah, one who ha
been shewn path to Him by Himself, an advocate
for the sinners before the Great Dispenser of justice
and mercy in the day of Qeyamat ( Judgment ), one
whose recommendations are already granted on account
of his high position, a truthful man, such a man who
has been recognized as a perfect Pir or Murshid (Spi-
ritual Guide). He is a representative of all Divine Mes-
sengers and Prophets, on whom be o!O % oU^' 'a'UJU?
Salwat, tahaiyat and Barakat (Peace, honor and grace).
This is the highest spiritual position and eminence
for a child of Adam ; and above this there is no higher
position except that of oyu Nubuwat (Divine Mission).

Therefore do secure him and his blessing. Fear
his displeasure and anger, be careful to avoid separa-
tion and distance from him, and fear how do you
dislike and refuse his favour, and how do you avoid
attendance to his speeches and admonitions. Because
safety lies in whatever he says and in his society.
And in the societies of those who refuse and denounce

160 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

him, there is nothing hut misguidance and death (spiri-
tual) ; unless the Great Alia h comes to assistance and
diverts them from their animosity to such a Friend of
the Mighty Providence.

Thus I have classified mankind. You should observe
in your ,j^aJ nafs (self), if 3*011 are a true observer, to
find out, which of these classes you belong to ; and
you should warn and protect your nafs, if you are a
good warner and protector and kind to it. May the
Great Allah guide you and me to whatever He likes
and is pleased with, both in the present and the after
world : Ameen !

SOME AUTHENTICATED MIRACLES.

As I have explained, philosophers of Isla~m accept
'Miracle' as true. As the great Prophet of Islam is
regarded by his followers as the greatest of all Divine
Messengers who have visited this world, so among th<*
most noble of the Prophet's descendents the Great Pir
Hadrat Gousul A'zam Saiyad Sheikh Abdul Q&dir
Jilani is placed by SftHs as the greatest of the entire
class of Auttva (saints) of this world. His life is full of
so many miracles as are not known in the life of any of
the saints of this world. To show that he was endowed
with most extraordinary and supernatural powers, I
relate here three small anecdotes from his life. 1

1 See ^i))! <tjBuft Nafahatul Uns^ a biography of Musalman
Saints, by Maulana Abdur Rahman Jami.

SOME AUTHENTICATED MIRACLES. l6l

FIRST ANECDOTE.

An old woman of Bagdad came to the Great Pir
Hadrat Saiyad Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani with her
young son and addressed the Holy Pir thus :

'My son, O Sheikh, has a great attachment for you.
So I relinquish all my rights in him and make him
over to you for training him up in the practical lessons
of Divine Philosophy. 1 So saying she presented the boy
to the Great Sheik h.

'I accept him' replied the Holy Pir 'for the Great
Allah'.

The old woman then departed ; and the Great
Sheikh, after initiating the boy in the secret doctrines,
ordered him for ci~*oLh reyadat (practical exertions).
After a few days the old woman came to the Khini-
qah (asylum for the students of Sufiism) to see her
son, and found him eating a piece of dry bread and
utterly emaciated and pale caused by scanty meal and
sleeplessness. She then went to the Holy Pir who
had just finished his dinner, and there saw a dish full
of bones of a fowl eaten by him. On seetng this,
she asked the Sheikh

'Why have you, Sire, given but a dry bread to my
son, while you yourself are eating fowl ?*

On hearing this, the Great Sheikh placed his hand
Dn the bones of the fowl, and said :
11

162 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

'Get up by the order of Allah, who can revive to
life the rotten bones. 1

The fowl instantly revived and began to crow. He
then addressed the old woman and said :

'Your son is ill, so he must take invalid's dish,
When he will attain to such powers, he will be able
to eat whatever he likes/

SECOND ANECDOTE.

One of the Sheikhs of Bagdad relates the following
story : One day sheikh 'AH Hayati and myself were
present at the Madrasah of Hasrat Sheikh Abdul
Qadir, when a nobleman of Bagdad came to the Grand
Pir and addressed him thus : a

'O Saiyad ! your Great Grand Father, the Prophet,
has said that if any one invites a man, the invitation
should be accepted. Now I invite you to my place/

The Holy Pir replied

'If I am permitted I shall come to your place/

So sajing, he for a short time bent down his head
in meditation ; and then raising his head said

'Yes, I will come to your place/

He then mounted a camel ; and Sheikh 'AH Hayati

x x x x x A ^/i^4 A A 4^*+

' x x xx x x X xx*

SOME AUTHENTICATED MIRACLES. 163

walked by the right side and myself by the left, when
we reached that nobleman's house, we found all
noblemen, learned men and Pirs of Bagdad assembled
there. Along dining cloth was spread out on wfcich
hundreds of delicious dishes were placed. At last a
large dish under a cover was brought by two servants
and placed at an end of the dining cloth. The host
requested the party to begin eating ; but the great
Sheikh remained quiet with his head bent down, with-
out taking anything himself and without permitting
others to take food.

Suddenly the Holy Sheikh raised his head and
ordered Sheikh 'AH Hayati and myself to bring that
large dish before him, which we did. The dish was
very heavy. When at his orders we removed the cover,
there was revealed on the dish, to the utter amaze-
ment of the entire assembly, a boy of the host, blind-
born, leper and totally paralyzed. The Grand Sheikh
then addressing the boy said

'Get up by order of the Great Allah sound and heal-
thy. 1

To the great astonishment of all, the boy at once
rose up and began to run, perfectly healthy and of good
sight 1 and without any symptom of paralysis. A great
tumult arose; and during the confusion the Great
Sheikh calmly* went out of trie house without taking
any food.

t s s & <v

U| ^b J a>

X XX '

164 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

THIRD ANECDOTE.

One day a man, named Abul Ma'ali, was present in

the audience of the Great Pir when he was delivering
his usual lecture. 1 Suddenly he had a call of nature ;
and his uneasiness became so terrible that he lost the
power of movement. Instinctively he internally appeal-
ed to the Holy Sheikh and then followed a most super-
natural incident which was visible only to Abul Ma'ali
and no body else. Instantly with his internal appeal
Abul Ma'ali saw that the Great Sheikh descended one
step from the highest stage of the Mimbar (pulpit), and
simultaneously he observed also that the head of a man
appeared over the head of the Sheikh. When the Holy
Sheikh descended the second step that human figure was
visible down to his breast. Lastly when the Great Pir
came down all the stages of the Mimbar, Abul Ma'ali
saw, to his amazement, a second Hadrat sheikh Abul
Qadir, exactly resembling the original Pir, and exactly
with his voice, addressing the audience, causing no
interruption at all in the delivery of the speech. The
original Pir, descending from all the stages of the
Mimbar, advanced slowly to Abul Ma'ali, and standing
over his head, put it into the big hanging sleeve of
his (Pir's) garment. On this, Abul Ma'ali found him-

i Hadrat Sheikh *Abdul Qadir Jilani was not only the
greatest learned man, but also the greatest orator of his age.
His audience ordinarily consisted of about one lak persons. See

by Sheikh Abdul Haq. DehJavi.

SOME AUTHENTICATED MIRACLES. 165

self in an extensive wilderness, with a beautiful
streamlet, on the bank of which stood a big tree. Abul
Ma'ali had a bunch of keys with him, which he hung
on that tree, and engaged in easing himself. After
relieving himself from the impending trouble, he
performed his ablutions and offered two Rak'ats
(genuflexions) of Namaz. Just when he finished his
Namaz, the Great Pir took away his sleeve from Abul
Hawaii's head, and the latter found himself in the audi-
ence, the Pir delivering his lecture, on the Mimbar,
as if he never came down from that high stage, and
the Second Pir vanished. He found also his hands,
feet and face wet with water, and perfectly relieved from
the troubles caused by the call of nature. He kept
perfectly quiet and spoke not a word to any one. But
when he searched his keys, they were missing.

After several years, Abul Ma'ali had an occasion of
travelling towards Persia; and after a journey of four-
teen days from Bagdad, he happened to halt in a wilder-
ness. Suddenly it struck him that that wilderness
resembled the one which he visited under the miracu-
lous powers of the Great Sheikh, on the day of his
troubles in his audience. With this faint idea, he got
up to search water for ablution. He found also a
streamlet which resembled exactly, the one in which he
washed himself on the former occasion under mysterious
circumstances. After proceeding a little further, he
reached that particular spot where he performed his
Namaz under the tree. And lastly, to his extreme amaze-

166 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION,

ment and surprise, he found the bunch of his lost keys
hanging on the tree.

On his return from Persia to Bagdad, he related this
incident to the Great Sheikh, who, in reply whispered
to his ears

* Do not mention this incident, O Abdul Ma'ali, to
any one as long as I am alive/

After the death of the Holy Pir, Abul Ma 'ali him-
self has recorded this wonderful occurrence. Thou-
sands of miracles like those related here, have been
recorded by the contemporary biographers of this Great
Pir.

I intend to conclude this chapter by relating a most
authenticated miracle of the living age, in which the
man who was the subject of the miracle is btill living.

ETHEREALIZATION OF A LIVING
MUSALMAN SAINT.

In the year 1879 a young boy, named Abdul Qadir,
resident of village Kelakopa, Thana Raipurah, District
Noakhali, in Bengal, was studying the Qoran Sharif
with a view to become a Hafiz (one, who has got the
whole Qoran Sharif by heart and can reproduce the
whole extempore from memory). After learning ten or
eleven chapters, the boy was attacked with consumption.
The disease became more and more serious, defying
and deriding all medical treatments. The boy at last

ETHEREAL1ZATION OF A LIVING MUSLIM SAINT. 167

became hopeless of his life, gave up all medical treat-
ments, and entirely resigned to the will of the Most
Merciful Maker, and was calculating his breaths, every
one of which he thought to be the last.

At such a critical juncture, an old pious man of
venerable appearance, a perfect stranger, visited the
family, as a traveller. This stranger, learning the pre-
carious state in which the boy was lying in the inner
appartments of the house, expressed a desire to see
him. Necessary arrangements were made and the old
man was taken inside. Throwing a glance on the
boy, with a deep sigh, he said, 'Medical treatment
can be of no avail, it is only the Auliya who can save
him at such a critical situation/

'Do you know, sir, any such holy personage ?* en-
quired the relatives of the boy.

'Yes, I know such a Wali-Ullah (saint) 1 answered
the venerable visitor, 'and he is the Greatest Pir of
the age.'

Entire family grew anxious to know the name of
the Great Pir, and to their solicitations on this point,
the stranger replied,

'He is Hadrat Maulana Mukhlisar Rahman of
Chittagong.'

'Can he be brought here ?' asked the members of
the family.

'By no means, it is impossible* replied the stranger.
Entire family became hopeless, except the boy, who
faintly repeated the sentence 'By no means, it is

168 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

impossible' as he was silently hearing this discourse ;
and continuing his ideas he faintly further said, 'Yes,
it is impossible that the Pir should come here, but is it
also impossible that I should go to the Fir ? No, it is
not so. If it pleases the Most Gracious Lord to give
me sufficient strength for walking, I promise that I
shall go to the Great Pir and throw myself at hib holy
feet for my spiritual salvation, as I have no desire for
material life.'

After about an hour the stranger departed. Next
morning, to the astonishment and joy ot the entire
family, the blood discharge of the boy was stopped, and
he began to show most rapid symptoms of improvement.
The recovery was so remarkable that within a couple
of weeks he was convalescent without any medical
treatment.

It became the unassailable and unflinching belief
of the boy that his supernatural recovery was due only
to the spiritual help of the Great Maulana of Chittagong.
So, as soon as he regained sufficient strength, he set
out for Chittagong on foot, as there was no Railway
communication at that time. As, after a journey of
about a week, the boy entered Mirzakhil Shanf, (the
village where lies the home of the Great Maulana), but
still at a distance of about ha)f-a-mile from the home of
the Great Maulana, he felt an inexpressibly rapturous
impulse which he could not account for. It was in the
morning that he arrived at his Holy home, and he

ETHEREALIZATION OF A LIVING MUSLIM SAINT. 169

found the Grand Pir sitting in the Madrasah, and
imparting lessons to the students of whom he always
had a large gathering. As the boy entered the courtyard
of the Madrasah, and before he uttered a single word,
the Gr at Pir enthusiastically said,

'Yes, yes, come hither Abdul Qadir, your arrival is
long awaited/

Simultaneously the boy gazed at the face of the Holy
Pir and a galvanic spark ran through his whole system,
his head became dizzy, he ran with electric speed, and
fell at the feet of the Holy Pir, totally unconscious, as
he recognized that the old venerable-looking stranger,
who visited him at his sick-bed, was no other than the
Great Pir Himself.

After about a couple of hours he came back to his
senses, and explained the circumstances which brought
him to the Holy Darbar, strictly concealing the fact of
his recognizing in the person of the Great Pir the
stranger-visitor who saw him during his illness at his
home. He was permitted to stay in the Darbar.

During the week that followed, the boy 'Abdul
Qadir made private enquiries as to whether the Holy
Pir .was out of his home during the preceding month.
The attendants replied that during the preceding year
he had not gone beyond the compound of his home.

The boy determined to enrol himself among the
-disciples of the Great Pir and accordingly submitted
his application. It is at this time that he secretly
communicated to the Great Teacher the occurrence at

170 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

his sick-bed, and the etherealized visit of the Great Pir
at his home. After about a month he was formally
initiated in the school of Sufiism. For five years and a
half he remained in the service of his Pir, undergoing
at the same time hard practical exertions, without
leaving him even for a day.

Suddenly one day the Holy Pir addressed 'Abdul
Qadir saying

'Abdul Qadir, your duty here is finished. I have
done for you what I could. Now go home ; and lead
the people to the grand threshhold of the Mighty
Allah."

This was his c^JU* Khilafat (Viceroyalty) which
vested him with the authority to initate candidates in,
and train students of, the school of practical Sufiism.
At a heart-rending scene 'Abdul Qadir was forced to
depart from the Holy Darbar of his Pir whom he was
not willing to leave.

About two months after this incident the grand Pir
left this material world and joined the Most Merciful
Creator on the i2tb day of Zil-Qa'ad, 1302 Hijri Era.
Abdul Qadir is still living ; but no more as a boy. He
is now a famous Pir himself, known as Munshi Hafiz
'Abdul Qadir and has got thousands of disciples. He
has transferred his home from Kelakopa to Lukhipura
in Noakhali.

I relate this story as I have heard it from Hafiz
Abdul Qadir himself.

ETHEREALIZATION OF A LIVING MUSLIM SAINT. I/ 1

Mirzakhil Sharif is the name of the village where
the Great Moulana Hadrat Mukhlisar Rahman was
born and which at present contains his sacred and
holy tomb. 1 His Sajjadah (office of the Pir) is now held

I. A disciple of the present Pir, Hafiz Magbul Ahmad,
surnamed ^^^a. ^^ Kaukibi Jahangiri^ of Benares^ has com-

X

posed the following Qasidah or Chronogram bearing the date of
his jUj wisal, or union with Allah (death) .

172 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

by his son and Khalifah Hadrat Moulana Shah
Muhammad 'Abdul Hai. Both the father and the son
hold the title 'Jahangir Shah'. Hence the Silsilah
started by the Senior Moulana is -known as 'Silsilah-i-
Jahangiriyah'. At present there is a splendid AiiU.
Khaniqah (Monastery of Durweshes) at Mirzakhil Sharif
which is thronged by disciples from distant and different
parts of Indian Empire. Anniversary of the Great
Moulana is celebrated every year on the I2th day of
Zil-Qa'ad, under the management of the present Pir.

From the above anecdotes you can form an idea of
the high stage of spiritual elevation a man can ascend
to, and of the power he can exercise, if he only obeys
the orders of the Great Allah according to the tenets
of Islam. On this point the greatest Musalman moralist-
Poet Sadi says :

"You too do not turn your head away from the
orders of the Mighty Providence ; so that nothing in
the universe turns its head away from your orders/' i

y* 431^

For the details of this life see the Preface.

ETHEREAL1ZATION OF A LIVING MUSLIM SAINT. 1 73

I now revert to my main subject. Musalman*
believe in the spiritual missions of all the prophets that
have preceded the Great Prophet of Islam. But they
profess that as they have found the Hadrat Muhammad
(S. A. S.) to be the last, the greatest and the complete
emdodiment of all the preceding prophets, they have
accepted him as their guide, without deprecating in any
way the missions of former prophets. They only
believe that as the law in force embodied the force and
spirit of all the preceding laws on the same subject,
so the mission of the last prophet has embodied the force
and spirit of the missions of 1,23,999 preceding prophets
including also necessary improvement.

Every one should believe that prophets and saints
possess powers which we common people are not aware
of. It is true that no one can known the Great Allah
thoroughly but He Himself. Similarly, no one can
know a Prophet or saint thoroughly except himself
and those higher than himself. For us, men of ordinary
capacities, it is impossible even to form an estimation
of the powers of prophets and saints, special favourites
of the Mighty Divinity.

174 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Jl*Jj

KNOWLEDGE IS A GREAT OBSTACLE.
(!N THE PATH OF THE GREAT ALLAH)

There is a saying of a great teacher of the secret
doctrines of Sufiism that 'knowledge is great obstacle
in the path of the Great Allah' 1 ; again another writer
says that 'Without knowledge, it is impossible to know
God'*. Apparently these two sayings are paradoxical
and contradictory to each other. Yet both are correct :
and I shall explain here the both and reconcile the
apparent inconsistency.

Do not disbelieve that prophets and saints possess
knowledge and power* beyond the comprehension of
ordinary men, and that in those knowledge and powers
they have the most blissful enjoyment. A poet enjoys
in a good'poem ; a mathematician enjoys in the solution
of a difficult problem of mathematics; and an astro-
nomer enjoys io the discovery of a new phenomenon
in the movements of a planet. Similarly, prophets
and saints enjoy in possessing the secrets ot Divine
knowledge, Divine attributes and Divine powers. So,
you must know the Great Allah by 'knowledge' which

KNOWLEDGE IS A GREAT OBSTACLE. 175

means the Divine Knowledge, not the knowledge
acquired through the medium of books and by means
of ten senses. Hence the saying that 'Without know-
ledge it is impossible to know God'.

Now I shall explain to you the obstacle. I have
explained to you that human heart has a secret door
toward the spiritual world. Therefore a Man's heart
resembles a well with five inlets (which represent the
five external senses) by means of which water comes
into the well from out-side. If you want that pure
and transparent water should spring out from the
bottom of the well and accumulate therein, your first
istep should be to shut perfectly the five inlets, to
prevent out-side water entering into the well ; the
second step should be to draw out the impure water
that stands in the well ; and the third step should be to
dig out the bottom of the well to a sufficient depth.

Then, and only then, pure and transparent water
shall ooze out from the bottom of the well. Until you
follow this process accurately, all your endeavours for
getting clear water from the bottom of the well shall
simply prove a folly and failure. Similarly, the internal
knowledge of the spiritual world can not find its way
into your heart, by the secret door, until you clear your
heart from the stock of knowledge and ideas, gathered
from the material world through the medium of five
external senses. Therefore if a man of external
learning allow his book-learning to meddle with the
practical teachings of the spiritual science, certainly

176 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

that learning will be a great impediment in the way
of acquiring spiritually the knowledge of the Great
Allah.

Now, what is the cause of this impediment ? It is
thus replied by the Doctors of Sunism. If a man has
acquired proficiency in different branches of literature,
Philosophy, Mathematics, Theology &c, through the
medium of books, if he believe that besides the
method of intellectual training, afforded by books by
means of Ten Senses, there is no other process of
.acquiring knowledge, if he believe that save what are
written in the books of Theology there is no other
evidence or proof of the existence of the Great Allah,
and lastly if he believe that such principles of Spiritual
Philosophy that are taught by his Pir, and such
inspirations that have galvanized his heart with
spiritual forces, are contrary to the principles he had
read in his books, such beliefs constitute the impedi-
ment that stands in the way of his spiritual advance-
ment It is simply impossible for men of this class
to acquire any knowledge of the spiritual world and of
Divinity. Because, the principles of dogmatic religion
that are taught to the common people form merely a
shell for the kernel the knowledge and vision of the
Great Allah but not the kernel itself. The real and
substantial knowledge lies in breaking this shell and
getting the kernel out of it. If any one adopts
argumentative and controversial method to support
his faith in principles of dogmatic religion, he will

KNOWLEDGE IS A GREAT OBSTACLE.

never be able to acquire the secret knowledge of the
Spiritual World. On this point the mystic poet Hafiz
of Shiraz says

"Colour your Musalla (prayer cloth) with wine, if
you are so directed by your Fir ; because, the Salik
(old traveller or guide) is not unacquainted with the
wants and requirements of the different stages of the
journey." 1 Hence the saying

"Knowledge is an obstacle in the path of the Great
Allah."

But if a learned man be sufficiently careful and
keeps aloof his entire knowledge of the material world
derived by mental sources, and does not allow them to
meddle with the process of actions in his internal
organs, his external knowledge will not be an impedi-
ment in the way of his acquiring the internaf know-
ledge of the Spiritual World.

Divine knowledge is acquired by means of the
internal knowledge of the Soul. Unless the knowledge of
the Soul be developed by suppressing the external
knowledge of the material world, acquirement of
Divine knowledge is impossible. Hence the saying

12

178 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

^Without knowledge it is impossible to know God"
which means the internal knowledge, of which the
Great Allah says in the Holy Qoran :
. "I have given him knowledge from Myself" 1

But if a man of external learning succeeds by
methods I have explained above, in acquiring also
internal knowledge, his position and powers are
undoubtedly far higher, and his faith far stronger,
than those of Illiterate Durweshes. These uneducated
or half-educated men are more liable, unless they are
under the careful vigilance of their Pirs, to fall under
the misguidance of Satan, and to wander life long in
the darkness of erroneous ideas and false notions.
Slightest doubt shall stand as a great hinderance in his
way. But men of learning, provided they have strong
and unflinching faith in their respective Pirs, such as
Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, Maulana Abdur Rahman
Jami, Khajah Shamsuddin Hafiz Shirazi and others,
and follow his directions literally, are comparatively
less liable to such misguidance. This has been clearly
explained in the beginning of this. Lecture, Now you
Are in a position* to comprehend the meaning of the
two contradictory sayings ; and thus the paradox is
reconciled. Therefore you should not disbelieve the
capacity of Man to acquire the power of oUtib>
Mukashifat (Revelations). But at the present age, there

4 /<*

UoJ

KNOWLEDGE IS A GREAT OBSTACLE. 179

hiave appeared gangs of pretenders, who, in fact, possess
no spiritual power, but under the garb of Durweshi,
with ^A.vV Tasbih (Rosary) in their hands and lolagu*
Sajjadah (prayer Cloth) on their shoulders, learn some
pharrning phrases and sentences from the technical
language of Sufis, and use abusive language towards
the learning and the learned. Such pretenders are, in
the opinion of many eminent authorities on both the
exoteric and esoteric branches of learning, criminals
like satan and enemies of both Allah and His Prophet,
both of whom has praised the learning and the
learned, and have invited the entire world for the
acquirement of learning. As these pretenders possess
neither the external nor the internal knowledge, they
have no right or authority to abuse the men of learn-
ing. Again, there are also, at the present age, a
class of moulavis who abuse the Durweshes without
understanding anything of the secret doctrines of
Sufiism. They are also, like those false Durweshes,
criminals before the Great Allah and His Prophet.
This is also explained in the beginning of this Lecture.

The highest acquirement of spiritual knowledge
lies in the fact that a Sufi must possess all knowledge
through Ihe medium of his heart, which other learned
men acquire by mental organs, as well as those which
it is impossible for men of external learning to acquire
with all their mental faculties. Such men are undoubt-
edly very we.

Under Jhese circumstances ypu shpuld 'not dis~

l8o THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

believe the principles of Sufiism and the most super-
natural and beneficial powers possessed by Sufis ;
and on account of false claims of some pretenders,
whom I have just mentioned, you should not shatter
the foundation of your faith in the true doctrines of
the Spiritual Philosophy of Islam.

WHAT ARE MAN'S GOOD FORTUNE AND
MISFORTUNE?

Man's good fortune lies in a thing which is the
object of his happiness and enjoyment. The happiness
and enjoyment of a man lies in what is agreeable to
his nature. And lastly that thing is agreeable to his
nature for which he is created by the Almighty
Creator.

To be more explicit The enjoyment of animal
passion lies in its satisfaction. The enjoyment of
anger lies in taking revenge on one whom you suppose
to be your provoker. The enjoyment of sight lies in
viewing beautiful sceneries and handsome appearances.
The enjoyment of the power of hearing lies in hearing
harmonious, melodius and musical sounds. And lastly,
the enjoyment of the soul lies in the satisfaction of
its own nature for which it is sent here to unite
with the body, and that nature is its tendency to know
the secret of things. Passion, anger and the external
knowledge of visible creation, attained by means of

MAN'S GOOD FORTUNE AND MISFORTUNE. l8l

five external senses, are possessed also by irrational
animals. But Man possesses, besides those, a desire
to know things that he does not know. If he succeeds
in acquiring such a knowledge, he becomes gratified
with, and proud of, such an acquisition. If a man
is expert in Chess Playing he is glad of, and is gene-
rally anxious for, its display before those who are
ignorant of, or deficient in, it.

When it is established that the pleasure and glory
of the Soul lies in acquiring the knowledge of things,
the higher the thing is, the greater shall be the plea-
sure and glory in acquiring its knowledge. If a man,
is in possession of an empire, his pleasure and glory
for such a possession will be greater than those of a
man who is in possession of an ordinary estate. Simi-
larly, if a man possesses the knowledge of Astronomy
and can calculate and ascertain the dimensions and
movements of heavenly bodies, his pleasure and glory,
in possessing such a knowledge, is undoubtedly far
higher and greater than those of one who possesses
the knowledge of Chess-Playing.

According to this theory, the higher and greater is
the subject, the higher and greater is the pleasure and
glory of possessing its knowledge. Now, nothing in
the universe is higher and greater than the Great
Allah. The honour and value of all the objects in
the world are on account of Him. He is the Supreme
Lord and Ruler of the entire Universe. All the
wonders of this expansive universe are His mani-

I&* THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

festations and creations. So, the knowledge of
nothing in the universe can be equal to the know-
ledge of the Great Allah ; and no pleasure and glory
of possessing the knowledge of any thing can be equ&l
to the pleasure and glory of possessing the knowledge
of the Mighty Creator. No vision is so charming, so
delightful and so sublime, and nothing can produce
such a rapture and ecstacy, as the vision of the Almighty
Allah ; and for this vision is the natural tendency
of the Soul. , The natural tendency of a thing is that
nature of the thing for which it is created. This I
have already explained. As this vision can be realized
only by o*>Ur 'Ibadat (service) which includes Love,
the Great Allah has directed in the Holy Qoran :

"I have not created Gin and Man except for My
service". 1

If the Soul of a man does not possess and show/-
any tendency for the knowledge and the vision of the
Great Allah, it resembles then a sickman who has lost
his appetite for food and prefers mud to bread. If
such an invalid is not placed under proper medical
treatment, and is not taken proper care of, for bringing
him back to his normal state of health, he becomes an
unfortunate man in the external world, and ultimately
dies a physical death. Similarly, if the desire of a

ASS SS

S I- <

MAN'S GOOD FORTUNE AND MISFORTUNE. 183

man's ioul for other objects is stronger than his
desire for the knowledge and the vision of the Great
Allah, he is invalid spiritually. Unless he is placed
under proper spiritual treatment, and his soul brought
back to its normal nature, he is an unfortunate man
spiritually, and ultimately dies a spiritual death*

All desires for, and the pleasures derived from, the
objects of visible creation are connected with the Body,
and they vanish with a man's physical death. All the
troubles and cares undergone for such pleasures
also prove useless at the point of his physical death,
and their usefulness terminates there. But the pleasure
derived from the knowledge and the vision of the Great
Allah is connected with the Soul, and is infinitely
increased after physical death. Because the Soulis im-
mortal and is not annihilated with the physical death
of Man 1 . It retains the knowledge and the pleasure
derived from the knowledge and the vision of the Great
Almighty, acquired in the material world, during its
stay with the Body. Besides, the Soul, which has
acquired Divine knowledge, becomes more enligh-
tened and more powerful, after it is released from its
captivity within the material enclosure of the Body.
On this point the Great Moulana Rumi says :

w 'The entire visible Creation became too limited
a sphere for prophets; therefore, like the Rulers of
the Spiritual World, they went to La-Makan (Divine
Sphere)." 1

;k |

184 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Because after the Soul gets rid of the troubles and
cares, necessary for satisfying worldly desires,* there
remains no barrier to the enjoyment and pleasures of the
Soul derived by its advancement towards Divine
Environment.

UNION AND SEPARATION,

AND

SALVATION AND FALL.

I have explained only some of the properties of the
Soul ; and yet a vast and expansive plane of its attri-
butes is still left unrevealed. Because, an unreserved and
open exposition of such attributes is not permitted by
teachers of this Philosophy. Such lessons are imparted
only to special students according to their stages of
advancements.

I have now to explain that the good fortune of Man
lies in his J^ Wasl (Union) with Allah. This union
can be achieved by tij c^-JL* Maratibi-Fana. (stages

of self-merging in Divinity), by discharging the duties
of c^JOx Ubudiyat (position and duties of a creature).
Such duties consist of

(1) Following JX* ^j * uJLyt/* y*| Amri-Mctruf-o-

Neh-i- Munkar (Commands and Prohibitions) ;

(2) Renouncing and suppressing all passions and
desires for material or animal enjoyments, and ex-

UNION AND SEPARATION. I #5

tricating the Soul from the entanglements of the charms
and pleasures of animal and satanic life ; and

(3) Devoting one's self, day and night, to the con-
templation of the beauties of ota-0 JLc ^Alami-Sifat

' X

(Sphere or plane of Divine Attributes, or Creation), and
having unflinching faith in o|i JLc 'Alam-i-Zat^

'x

(Sphere or plane of the Personality or Essence of
Divinity).

Therefore the misfortune of Man lies in L~>LA.
Hijab (Barrier), which means separation from the Great
Allah, called als>o .-cufc Hijr, or Separation, and results in
man's deprivation of the charming vision of, and glorious
union with, Divinity. Such a separation is caused by
negligence in discharging the duties of u^oykc Ubudiyat
(Servitude); and such a negligence is the outcome qf the
entanglements of his soul in the charms and pleasures
of this material world, derived from the gratification of
animal and satanic passions and his unwillingness
to follow the commands and prohibitions, and to know
himself and the Great Allah.

Hadrat Sheikh 'Abdul Haq Muhaddis of Delhi thus
explains the duties of Shari 'at and Tariqat :

"The sum and substance of the 'Teachings of Islam'
"consists of two things :

"(i) Carrying out the orders of Shari'at ; and

" (2) Resignation to the will of Allah :
"that is 'do what He orders you to do, and be as He
"keeps you/ First is worship and second, servitude.

1 86 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"And the foundation of both is 'Forbearance. 1 God
"rewards forbearers beyond calculation. 1 ' 1

Now, you are in a position to understand to some
extent the secret properties of Human Soul. Then you
should take cognizance of the fact that this valuable
jewel- the soul in its original quality is bestowed upon
you, but kept concealed from you, within yourself. So,

"Even the heavens could not bear the burden, of

ltd

(Divine) Trust ; and the die was cast in the name of

my-mad-self,"*

sung the Great poet Hafiz of Shiraz.

If you do not find it out and allow it to be spoiled
by your own neglect, undoubtedly you are a great loser.
So you must exert your best to find out that precious
jewel in yourself; and unless and until you succeed in
discovering that jewel, you should keep your attention
perfectly free from the entanglements of the material
world. After you have found it out, your next duty
is to purify and elevate it to its highest perfection.
Value and honour of that jewel will be appreciated and
paid for not only in the material, but also, far more,
in the spiritual, world ; where you will find a pleasure
which knows no sorrow an existence which knows
no death or annihilation a power which knows no

Sfce p. 65.

UNION AND SEPARATION.

inability a knowledge which knows no doubt-^and
lastly, a JU^ Jamal (beauty) which knows no blemish.
Its merit in this world lies in the fact that it possesses
the capacity of raising itself to its highest and original
power and position. Otherwise it lies here in such
a pitiable and degraded condition, that notwithstanding
its so high origin and value, it is entangled in
mud, and is subjected to troubles and afflictions
caused by heat and cold, hunger and thirst, illness
and mental anxieties, and other mental and physical
disorders of various kinds. All the objects of its enjoy-
ment in the material world are injurious to it in the
spiritual region. All things that are beneficial to it in
the spiritual plane are mixed with troubles and struggles
in the material creation.

The honour of a man lies in his knowledge, power,
courage, will, physical symmetry and beauty. Now, if you
examine the situation, you will find that, as regards
knowledge, no one is more ignorant than this poor JL*/
Musafir (traveller), Man, as he even does not know
himself. If an artery in the body gets out of order, the
result is instant death or madness. How is it caused
and what is its remedy, he is unable to determine. It
may be that the remedy lies near him, but he is utterly
ignorant of it. As regards his power, he is poweftess
before a mosquito or a fly. A mosquito can kill him at
once. If a wasp stings him he becomes restless stttd
sleepless. As to courage, if he loses a silver coin, bis
mental equilibrium gets, disturbed. If a morsel of food,

a 88 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

while eating, is spoiled it causes his anxiety. If his will
meets an opposition, it creates uneasiness and anger.
As regards his beauty, he is a mixture of some dirty and
impure matters covered by a skin. If he does not wash
himself for a couple of days, his body becomes dirty and
bad-smelled. What picture can be more miserable than
this?

One day Hadtat Abu Sa'id Makhzumi 1 was passing
b}/ a street with some Durweshes, where a drain was
being cleared, and some night-soil collected on the
street were giving out extremely obnoxious smell. All
durweshes fled away from the place, closing their noses.
Sheikh Abu Sa'id remained there standing, and address-
ing his companions said 'Do you hear, O gentlemen,
what these impure things are telling you?' 'What?
Impure things telling Us ? What is the meaning of this
curious expression ?' asked the Durweshes, all in a simul-
taneous voice. These impure things tell you' replied the
gre<at Sheikh, 'yesterday we were at bazar ; and all of
you were eagerly spending money to secure us. Only
one night's stay in jrour society, has reduced us to such
a miserable and hateful condition. Now, judge your-
self, whether it is for us to fly from you, or for you to fly
from us/ All the Durweshes were struck by this smart
address and were brought hack to their senses.

In reality such is Man, in this physical world, impri-
soned in material composition, the body, fallen down to
the abyss of degradation and misery, subjected to defects

*. Peer of Hadrat Gousul A'zam.

UNION AND SEPARATION. 189

and blemishes, the unavoidable accompaniments of
physical life. Under such circumstances he is subjected
to hard trials here. If he is fortunate in finding his
way to his own original home, whence he has come, by
renouncing material enjoyments, he can extricate him-
self from the lower strata of animal and satanic lives,
and can ascend to that of angelic world. Still higher
Man can ascend, as I have repeatedly explained to you,
and can merge himself in the Personality of the Great
Allah Himself. The great poet Moulana Rumi says :

"Poor Man has not recognized or realized his own
merits, therefore he has fallen so low. 111

But if he gives himself up entirely to the enjoyment
of worldly pleasures and to the satisfaction of animal
and satanic passions, his case on the grand day of
Qeyamat (Judgment) will be worse than that of a pig or
dog ; because these animals, after their physical death,
will become free, and will be subjected to no account or
punishment, as their identity terminates with their phy-
sical death ; whereas Man will be called to account, and
shall be liable to punishment for his violations of com-
mands and prohibitions.

I9Q THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

AN ILLUSTRATION.

Now, I will cite an illustration. Place yourself in
the position of an infant child of an emperor. Your pa-
rents died during your infancy ; and you were deprived
of your throne and empire by a usurper, and sent to
jungles as an exile, where all your attendants died
shortly after. You were found in a lonely and helpless
condition by a village cultivator, who reared you up in
his own profession. For several years both yourself and
the cultivator remained utterly ignorant of the origin of
your birth and the incidents of your infant life. But
when you became a youth, an incident threw light upon
the past history of your life and the origin of your birth.
Now, it is for you to choose, whether you should trace
your steps to the capital of your empire, where the old
ministers and the army are willing to help you, and dis-
play your courage to advance your rightful claim to the
throne, and fight hard to recover your lost empire, or
you should pass the remainder of your life as an humble
cultivator.

If you have courage enough to adopt the former
course, surely there is every chance of your success in
regaining your throne and empire. But if you fail in
your courage and valour in setting forth your rightful
claim to the throne, you will have to pass the remainder
of your life as a simple cultivator, and ultimately to
find an unknown grave in some remote and obscure
corner and wilderness of your empire.

AN ILLUSTRATION. 191

jo? ^J u. ( ^ ^ ^j^/ Lfjuu y *&]

K - JUJ V_/l;>! *<& LjjAA, ^ <U ^.,,-gtQ^M

Angels talked of Adam, 'What a trifle he will be
made/ They did not think that from head to feet he
shall be an embodiment of Divine Knowledge.

Their ideas were groundless. And none of them
thought that by Divine breathing Adam shall become a
Holy Being.

<u

,**S

Very shortly he will become an object of prostration
of angels. He is a resident of the Earth ; but he will
become the Ruler of Heavens.

t - JUJ

From his descendants such a prophet shall take
birth, who shall be the object of Salle-ala (praise be
on him), and the master of 'Lawlaka (Lawlaka lama

IQ2 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

Khalagtul aflak i.e. Had you not been, O Muham-
mad, I would not have created the Heavens).

jt -- X

Be gratified, O Turab, realising your own secret.
Why should you be sorry on account of your external
appearance ?

LECTURE VII.

f* - ~J

"One, who has a true faith in Allah, his eyes became
God-seeing."

"O Thou, that do not like to be in the religion of
God, even for a moment, your religious affairs are
therefore always in deficiency."

"Of that servant, who has extricated himself from
the ideas of self-sufficiency and sovereignty, entire
creation becomes obedient servant"

"In the history of the objects of Divine lovers,
whatever object there is, it is this"

! j &

13

394 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"That by the eyes of your heart do not see any
thing else, except your Friend (Allah). Whatever you
observe, know it to be a manifestation of Him."

1 if

"When the Original (Divine) Beauty manifested
itself in the scene of 'Alam-i-Imkan (Contingent world,
or Creation), it appeared in different colours and various
appearances."

t - $

"Before Whom, with great respect and veneration,
the angels prostrated, when He appeared in the shape
of Man."

^*^L *

X

"That He is the' first and the last, the manifest
and the hidden, is mentioned in the passage of the
Qoran."

FAITH AND PRACTICE OF ISLAM. 19$

"He is the rose, the sumble (hyacinth), and the
amazed nargis (narcissus) j and he has come to this
garden to see his own tamasha (exhibition)/ 1

"He is the Qtfnun, 1 the Saz* and the Tablah ;*
and He has manifested Himself in every string and
every tune."

FUNDAMENTAL FAITH AND
PRACTICE OF ISLAM.

It is the prominent feature of Islam and also of all
other religions of the world, that the whcHe religion is
divided into two components

1. Uj| Intan (faith), and

2. J*x 'A mat (Practice).

As for Faith, it is necessary to create and profess
faith in

i- jjufej Tawhid( Unity of Divinity);

2. *&/* Malciikah (Angels) ;

3. v^Jtf Kutub (Divine Books) ;

4. J*y Rusul (Prophets or Divine Messengers) ;

5. oT Akhirat (After-world) ;

*., *., and *., Names of musical instruments.

196 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

6. JJAJ Taqdir (Destiny pre-ordained by Pro-
vidence) ;

7- Jij jLflL Khair-o-Shar (Good and Evil created
by God) ; and

8. j&j y j2*A. Hashr-o-Nashr (Resurrection and
Judgment).

When a man is to confess Islam, he is required to
believe and profess

"I plight faith in God, His angles, His books, and
His Messengers ; and also in the after-world, destiny
good and evil as being created by God, and the
resurrection after death," i

TAWHID OR DIVINE UNITY.

The Kalimah-i-Tawhid taught by Islam is <OJ) ))} aJ) J
La-Ildha-Illallah, (i e. There is no Existence but of
Allah).

Sufis believe that He is Omnipresent and All-
Pervading and Ever-Existent, which I have explained
in my fifth Lecture, in which I have also said that
the Theory of Wahdat-ul-Wajud is based on several

4/4 X

J| 5

**

IX X X X

AX A X AX AXA X XX X X vXX AX

ANGELS. 197

passages of the Qoran of which I have the following :

1. "To him (man) We are nearer than hfs jugular
Vein." 1

2. "He is with you wherever you be."*

3. We are nearer to him than you, but he does
not see Us (God)." 3

4. To Allah belongs the East and the West ;
therefore to whichever direction you turn yourself, there
is the Face of Allah." 4

5. "He is the first and the last, the manifest and
the hidden." 5

6. "Allah pervades all things, i. e. entire universe
or creation." 6

ANGELS.

As for His angels, they are innumerable and
incalculable. Every section of both the material and
the ethereal worlds, is placed by the Mighty Ruler under
the management of a class or regiment of angels. They
are incessantly at work, without a moment's rest,
controlling the movements and actions of the Grand
Universe, in accordance with a definite Code of Rules
called the Law of Nature. Those saints and pro-
phets who have developed their powers of spiritual
vision, can observe and realize the existence of these
angels and control their actions.

i, 2 , , 4 , * and * Sec Lecture I. p. 2.

198 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

DIVINE BOOKS,

As for Divine Books, they are, according to the

traditions of Islam, 104 in number, sent down to the

Physical plane, at different stages and progress of

the world, through successive generations of Divine

Messengers, containing teachings for elevating mankind.

The last of these series of Divine Books is The Qoran,

which is the perfect and complete embodiment and

enlargement of all the preceding Divine Books, and is

so framed by Providence and it is beyond the reach of

human capacity that its laws are suitable to meet the

requirements of all nations and of all ages. A Suft

has claimed that there can be no occurrence in the world

for which a decision could not be found in the Qoran. 1

la support of this argument the Great Allah says in

the Holy Qoran :

"There is nothing wet nor any thing dry that will
not be found in the manifest Book (Qoran)" 2

* & x 4

itf^fl

x ^f x x /

V

PROPHETS. 199

PROPHETS.

As for Prophets, they are, says Islam, 1,24,000 in
number, the first of whom is Hadrat Adam (A. S.) and
the last Hadrat Muhammad (S. A. S.), Saiyad Ameer
'Alt in his Spirit of Islam says :

"The continuity of religious progress among man-
"kind is a subject of enthralling interest to the student
;t of humanity. The gradual awakening of the human
"mind to the recognition of a Personality, of a Supreme
"Will, overshadowing the universe ; the travails through
"which individuals and races have passed before they
"have arrived at the conception of an Universal Soul
''pervading, regulating and guiding all esistence,
"furnish lessons of the deepest import The process by
"which humanity has been lifted from the adoration of
"material objects to the worship of God, has been often
"retarded. Masses of mankind and individuals have
"broken away from the stream of progress, have listened
"to the promptings of their own desires, have given way
"to the cravings of their own hearts ; they have gone
"back to the worship of their own passions, symbolised
"in the idols of their infancy. But though unheard, the
"voice of God has always sounded the call to truth, and
"when the time has arrived His servants have risen to
"proclaim the duties, of man to himself and to his
"Creator. These men have been the veritable 'Messen-
gers of Heavens', They came among their people as

2OO THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"the children of their time ; they represented the
"burning aspirations of the human soul for truth, purity
"and justice. Each was an embodiment of the spiritual
''necessities of his age ; each came to purify, to reform,
"to elevate a degraded race, a corrupted commonwealth.
"Some came as teachers of a smaller culture, to influence
"a smaller sphere ; others came with a world-wide
"message a message not confined to one race or nation,
"but intended for all humanity. Such was Muhammad
"(S. A.',S.) His mission was not the Arabs alone.
"He was not sent for one age or clime, but 'for all
mankind to the end of the world/ "

Following the very same line of explanation a Per-
sian poet thus sings :

" Nabuwat (a prophet's mission) was first manifested
in the person of Had rat Adam (A. S.), and its highest
perfection was completed in the person of Hadrat
Muhammad (S. A. S.)." 1

There is no age in which, and no nation for which,
the Great Allah has not sent a teacher. The Holy Qoran
says:

" For every nation I have sent a Messenger." 8

The great Messenger of Islam did not claim to be
the teacher of any new religion. In many places in the

PROPHETS. 2O I

Holy Qoran it is mentioned that he has been sent to
revive and reform the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham
A. S.). This is proved also by the following passage
in the Holy Qoran :

" Say We plight faith in God, and in what has
been sent down to us, and what has been sent down to
Ibrahim, Ismail, Israil, Jacob and their descendents, and
what has been sent to Moses, Jesus, and what have been
sent to other prophets, from their Lord. We do not
create any distinction between them j and we are their
followers.' "*

The claim of Islam is that it is the latest and most re-
formed and complete form of all the forms of one identi-
cal religion, teaching the faith in, and worship of, one
Supreme Personality or Divine Unity, that have come
down from Adam (A. S.) to Jesus (A. S.); and that
its Messenger is the last and the complete embodiment
of all preceding prophets. The best spirit of religion
is available through the medium of Islam, suitable to

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202 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

to all climbs and all ages and all nationalities, till
the close of the world's existence. As the present
laws of a country are substitutes for all the old
and repealed laws of that country, and are in force for
the administration of that country, so is Islam a sub-
stitute for all the preceding religions of the world. The
only difference is that while even the present political
laws are still liable to further improvements, Islam is
declared in the Qoran to be the complete Code of
religious, social and political laws, requiring no further
amendment

Sufis believe that all the attributes of Divinity have
been manifested in the physical world, by the personi-
fications of different prophets and teachers, in the
history of mankind. The great Sufi-Poet Moulana
Jalal-ud-Din Rumi thus explains these manifestations :

" At every moment, my brisk Beloved appeared in a
new garb, stole my heart and then concealed Himself.
At every second, He showed Himself in a new fashion,
sometimes as an old man and sometimes as a young." 1

" Once He appeared as Noah (A. S.) and by prayer
inundated the world, himself went on boat ; then He
came again in the shape of Abraham (A. S.) and entered

PROPHETS. 2O3

the fire-pile, on account of which the fire was metamor-
phosed into a garden/^ 1 )

" Again He appeared on the stage of the physical
world in the garb of Joseph (A. S), the illuminator of
the world, and sent his shirt from Egypt to his father
at Palestine. Then He appeared as a light in the eyes
of Jacob (A. S.), by which he regained his sight"( a )

" By God it was He (God), Who performed miracles
from the hands of a shepherd. Then he entered the
stick (of Moses) and became a serpent by which he got
victory over the necromancers who attacked him,"( 3 )

" It was none but He that was vociferating Anal-Haq.
(I am God) in the appearance of Mansur. It was not
Mansur that was executed, it was only a wrong idea of
ignorant men."( 4 )

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204 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

" For pleasure's sake, He was moving about on this
earth for few days ; then, in the form of Jesus, he ascend-
ed the Heavens, and engaged himself in prayers.'^ 1 )

" It was He Who came and went in differeut ages.
At last he appeared in the form of the Arabian Messen-
ger and became the Ruler of the World, both physical
and spiritual/^)

And the Great Allah has therefore declared in the
Qoran Sharif:

" To-day I have perfected for you your religion ;
and have bestowed upon you all my favours and gifts,
and have chosen for you Islam (resignation to the will
of Allah) as your religion."( 3 )

ZIKR OR REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH. 2O5

AMAL OR PRACTICE, AND
PURE LIFE.

Regarding those who believe in the catholic teach-
ings of Islam and conduct their lives according to that
belief, the Great Allah says in the Holy Qoran :

" Before God they occupy prominent position ; and
God sees all that you do." 1

ZIKR OR REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH.

Zikr (or remembrance) of Allah is the best 'Ibadat
or devotion for which man is ordained. The Great
Allah thus emphasises the importance and value of
Zikr in the following passages of the Holy Qoran :

"Practise your Lord's Zikr (remember your Lord)
incessantly ; and sing his praise every morning and
evening." 8

"Undoubtedly, in the creation of heavens and earth,
and the change of day and night, there are innumerable

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4206 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

signs (of Allah) for wise men who practise Lord's Zikr
in standing, sitting and lying postures/* *

"O believers, let not your love for your properties
and your children divert your mind from Allah's Zikr ;
and whoever does so, he will be among the losers." 2

"Practise Allah's Zikr incessantly, and sing his
praise every morning and evening/' 3

"When you remember me, I remember you ; and
discharge your gratitude to me and do not be ungrate-
ful/ 14

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ZIKR OF REMEMBRANCE OF ALLAH. 207

"Practise Allah's zikr incessantly, so that you may
secure good reward/ 11

"One, who turns his face away from My Zikr> will pass
an uncomfortable life in the world, and I shall regenerate
him on the day of Qeyamat (Resurrection) blind.'* 2

Then through Hadis-i-Qudsi (God's message through
the Prophet) The Great Allah says :

"One, who remains engaged in My zikr, leaving
aside his solicitations to Me, I give him more than the
man who asks of Me." 3

"When My servant practises My zikr and his lips
move for My sake, I remain with him at that time ;
and I am the companion of one, who remembers
me/'*

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208 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

DIVINE MANIFESTATION IN
PHYSICAL PLANE.

On the subject of realizing Divine vision in the
Physical Plane the Great Allah says in the Holy
Qoran :

"One, who is blind in this world (from the vision
of Allah), shall also be blind in the After- World ; and
shall wander astray from the path of salvation." 1
"When truth appeared, falsehood disappeared." 2
"O God, give me more (Divine) knowledge." 8
"When Moses arrived near it (fire), a voice came
from the right extremity of the valley, at a holy place,
from the tree (which said), 'O Moses, verily, I am the
Allah, the Lord of both the worlds." 4

X

X it X 14 A * J\, XX A

DIVINE MANIFESTATION IN PHYSICAL PLANE 209

When Moses arrived according to promise, and his
Lord spoke to hiiji, he prayed, 'O Lord, show me your
vision, so that I may see you, Allah replied, 'You can
not see Me (with your external eyes); but look at
the mountain, if it can stand at its place, you shall be
able to see Me.' When his Lord mainfested Himself
on the mountain, it was shattered to pieces, and
Moses fell down senseless." 1

"All things shall vanish, except His Face." 2
"Those, who have exerted to realize me, I have
guided them on in the path to me." 3

"He is the first and the last, the manifest and the

hidden."*

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210 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

RULES OF LIFE.

*

Regarding the rules of life the Great Allah says :

"O believers, let not your love for your properties
and your children divert your mind from Allah's zikr ;
and whoever does so, he will be among the losers.' 11

As regards Man's duties connected with Divine
Trust he is directed to be always attentive and careful.
So the Holy Qoran says :

"I proposed My Trust unto Heavens and Earth and
the Mountains, but they refused to undertake it, and
were afraid thereof; but Man undertook it. Surely
he did injustice to himself and was ignorant of future
responsibility."*

"One, who hopes to realize the vision of Allah, it

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RULES OF LIFE. 211

is incumbent on him to do good work, and not to create
any partner with his Lord in his worship."

Do not follow your animal and satanic passions and
desires, as they shall misguide you from the path of
Allah."*

"You beg of Me and I shall grant your prayers." 3

"Verily, the Allah is the provider of your liveli-
hood. He is powerful and mighty."

"Certainly, Allah will not forgive disobedience of
unbelievers who create partnership with Him ; but He
will forgive, besides that, all other sins, of whomsoever
He pleases." 5

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212 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

The Great Allah directs His servants to say
"I have given up the fraternity of those who do

not believe in Allah." 1

On human responsibility the Holy Qoran directs
"You shall enter paradise on account of your own

works in the physical world.' '

Regarding resignation, the Great Allah says :
"For one, who relies on Allah, He is sufficient (for

every thing)."

"For one, who resigns himself to Allah, He creates

an easy means of exit from the bondage of this material

world/'

Regarding philanthropy the great Allah says :
"And so I reward those who do good to others."*
"Allah loves those who do good to others." 6

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RULES OF LIFE.

"Allah loves them and they love him." 1

The Great Allah enjoins forbearance to man and
says:

"Certainly Allah is always with forbearers."?.

Encouraging pure social life, the Great Allah says :

"Monkish life, which they have created, I have not
ordained for them."

On Divine justice and mercy He says :

"And your Lord is never an oppressor of His
slaves." 4

Regarding men in light and men in darkness the
Great Allah says :

"A blind man is not equal to one of powerfnl sight ;
nor darkness to light, nor shadow to substance, nor
a dead man to a living man." 5

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214 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

As to the medium (Pir) necessary in the path of
Allah, He says :

"O belivers, rely on All&h, and accept a medium
(Pir or Guru) in his way ; and then xert in his path,
so that you may secure good fortune, 111

On toleration He says :

"There is no compulsion in matters of religion.
Certainly the path of true guidance has now become
evident and distinguished from misguidance."'

"My deeds shall bring return for me, and yours
for you/' 3

To a careful student it will be evident that all
Islamic wars were defensive. 4

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RULES OF LIFE. 215

I myself was the famous philosopher who flourished
under the name Plato, and I myself was the mad man
whom people call Qais or Majnun. 1 '

*} ~ 4

I myself am the house of Ka'bah before which the
Musalman sheikh prostrates, and I myself am the
Devalaya which the Hindti wors hips."

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"I myself became the sardar (chief) when I ascended
the Dar (Pointed bar) ; and I myself was the rapturist who
vociferated 'Anal-Hatf (I am God)/'

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"I then concealed myself under the cover of ^
Mim and became Ahmad (Muhammad) ; and I am the
heart, and I am the beloved robber of heart."

LECTURE VIII.

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"It is He Who shows His appearance both in the
Masjid and in the Devalaya. What a beautiful picture
has He drawn in the orb of eyes ?"

"He does not care any one, as He is the seeker and
the sought ; he became a Sheikh and sat down in the
Masjid, and again he entered a liquor-shop and became
a must (drunkard) there. 1 '

"How long will you delay in coming to the secret
home of my heart ? What pleasure do you cherish in
making your lovers restless ?"

SCIENCE AND RELIGION. 21 7

"Real restlessness exists in the lamp and the
Parwanah (moth). If any one is a true lover, he must
not hesitate in burning himself altogether."

"He is not at a distance from you ; seek Him in
yourself, you shall find Him. You are wandering
uselessly in populated and unpopulated regions/'

"You are my Pir (Spiritual Guide) and I am your
Murid (Disciple), there is no question about it. You
and I are identical beings. How long will it take to
unite ?"

SCIENCE AND RELIGION.

I will now explain some theories which are semi*
scientific and semi-religious :

218 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

LAW OF GRAVITATION.

It is now an uncontested belief of the civilized
world that Sir Isac Newton is the discoverer of the
Theory of Gravitation. This great mathematician
flourished in England in the i/th century of the
Christian Era. But you shall be amazed to learn that
about four hundred years before Sir Isac Newton, that
is, in the i3th ceutury of the Christian era, Musalman
philosophers have explained this Theory of Gravitation
in most vivid language. It is not an occasion of any
regular and lengthy discussion of such a scientific
subject ; therefore, I ask your leave to quote here, in
support of my humble claim, translation of some verses
from the grand work of Moulan Rum! :

"By the force of that Law, all the different elements
and organs of this universe are couples with one
another, and are lovers (attractors) of each other." 1

"Every organ of this universe is a seeker of another,
exactly in the same* manner as the grass and the
amber."*

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LAW OF GRAVITATION. 219

"The heaven welcomes the earth and says 'You
and I are like iron and magnet/ J>1

" 'How this Earth" asked an enquirer from a philo-
sopher, "has remained hanging in the midst of the
circumscribing universe ?" ' 2

"Like a floating globe in the air, which does not
fall downward, nor goes upward ?" 8

'"By the attraction of heavens from six directions',
replied the philosopher, 'the Earth has remained
floating in the air.' " 4

Just like a hollow globe of magnet, and a pleoe
of iron in the centre, which remain floating in the air in
the centre of the globe. 1 " 5

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220 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

LAW OF ATOMIC ATTRACTION.

"Every atom has an attraction for another, and by
the union of both an issue is generated."

''Every one of these atoms is in search of another,
as if his own, for the purpose of completing his own
work and mission." 8

"Know, that the movements of heavenly bodies are
caused by the force of Love (Attraction). But for Love,
the whole creation would have withered in no time
(that is, would have become inactive)." 3

"When the mineral would have vanished in the
vegetable ? And when the vegetable would have been
sacrificed for the animal ?' '

THE TAJUDDUD-I-AMSAL. 221

"Every thing would have withered or melted like
snow globules. When would they have risen high like
locust? (i. e. they would never have received growth)." 1

THE TAJUDDUD-I-AMSAL.

OR
THE CHANGING WORLD.

On the Theory of 'The Changing World/ the Great
Moulana says :

"Thus you have a death and a return every moment
The prophet has said 'The world's existence is only a
moment'."*

"Every moment both ourselves and the world are
becoming new in appearance ; but, owing to constant
existence of our Essence, we are unconscious of these
changes." 3

222 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION,

"Man's life is always new, like a river ; the river is
standing, but new water always coming in place of
those flown down." 1

1RTIQA

OR
THE PHYSICAL EVOLUTION,

In the Nineteenth Century Mr. Darwin is taken to
be the discoverer of the 'Theory of Physical Evolution,'
but six hundred years before him, Moulana Rumi has
explained this theory, only incidentally, in his grand
Masnavi. As the subject was not of much importance
in his opinion, he made only a passing observation, and
devoted his grand work in the exposition of the 'Theory
of Spiritual Evolution.* On Physical Evolution he
thus observes :

"He (Man) first appeared in the world of minerals ;
and then improved from mineral to the world of
vegetables." 8

IRTIQA. 223

"For many years he passed his life in the vegetable-
world, and in his struggle for growth, he did not
remember anything of his past life in the mineral
reigion." 1

"When from the vegetable he entered the animal
world, he did not recollect any thing of his vegetable
life ; "*

"Except that tendency which an animal has towards
vegetables in early spring," 3

''just like the tendency of a child towards its mother,
who does not know the secret of its attraction towards
its mother's milk/'*

"In this way he (the grand essence of Man) travelled
from one kingdom to another, till he became an intelli-
gent, learned and wise Man." 8

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224 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

*URUJ

OR
THE SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION.

As to the further ascent of this Grand Essence of
Man in the spiritual region, the author of :L ^sJ/
Ghulshan- i-Raz says :

"Thus Man passes through childhood, youth, middle-
age-life and old-age, and acquires intelligence, under-
standing, judgment, opinion and tact" 1

"Then comes the final call from the Holy Lord,
and holy soul returns to Holy Region, and mud
returns to mud."*

"When the period of his physical life thus closes, he
finds that the end of this life is only a beginning of
another."*

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URUJ. 225

"Every one of them goes towards the centre, as
nature can not give up the character of the centre it

possesses." 1

"Divinity is like an ocean, but full of blood, (i. e.
extremely boisterous) from which come out thousands
(of waves) like Majnun (mad or ardent lover)." 2

"You can, only then, reach Divine environment, and
unite with your beloved, when you will annihilate
your own personality." 3

"Union with Allah, at this stage, is only a dispelling
of a false imagination. When the idea of non-God
vanishes from your view, the union with God is
achieved/ 14

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15

226 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

"When a traveller finishes his cycle completely, his
last point meets his first point, from which he started." 1

"When he traverses the entire course of his journey,
then Haq (God) places the crown of Khelafat (Viceroy-
alty) on his head." 2

Such a man only can be a Murshid or Guru, or
Spiritual Guide, who can introduce a seeker to Divinity.

ISLAM AND THEOSOPHY.

This is Islam, true Islam, which means Sufiism,
that I have explained. I am confidently of opinion
that it is, in no way, in conflict with any religion
of the world. If there is any difference of opinion
on some minor points, that is immaterial ; in as much
as, even within the sphere of dogmatic Islam seventy-
three sects have sprung up, each denouncing all others.

During the time of 'Abbasiyah Rulers of Islamic Khe-
lafat at Bagdad, various sectarian movements arose, of
whom three were prominent

(1) ycU| Ashcfirah,

(2) Ah!*/* Mttazilah> and

(3) UXa* Hukama.

ISLAM AND THEOSOPHY.

On account of these differences thousands of 'Ulema
and philosophers were beheaded.

Divine wrath came at last ; which was manifested
in the destruction of Bagdad by Halako Khan, in which
ten million Musalmans were massacred by that vindic-
tive destroyer of civilization and learning ; and the
grand University and Library of Bagdad the home
of literature, science and philosophy was burnt to
ashes. Thus ended the glory of Islam ; but the strife
of sectarian ( Ulema did not come to an end. They are
cutting each other's throat even at the present age.

That the sectarian quarrel of Musalman 'Ulema has
been the main cause of the downfall of the Musalmans
of the world, there is no question. The Islam, however,
is as pure as it originally came. Therefore my claim
that Islam is only a revival and improvement of all the
preceding religions of the world, is substantiated by its
fundamental teachings, and its practical spiritual force. It
will not be correct to judge Islam by the actions of the
Musalmans of the present age. One of the greatest
Musalman writers of India, Shah 'Abdul Aziz of Dehli,
thus writes on the sectarian differences of our Ulema :

"The followers of seventy-two sects are seeking You,
O Unexampled ! Having lost You, all of them are
searching you in every direction, and have become
exhausted. The Truth is in the possession of only one
sect, and they are Durweshes (followers of Sufiism).

228 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

And the rest the seventy-two sects promulgate only
artificial and imaginary theories. 1

I am not a constant reader of Theosophical literature.
Therefore by occasional glancing over a few scattered
pages of some productions of that Society I am led to
regard a Theosophist as one, who believes in

(1) Divine Unity,

(2) Angelic Beings,

(3) Divine Books,

(4) Divine Missions of all Prophets,

(5) Immortality of Human Soul, and

(6) After- World :

And all these form the very fundamental formula of
Kalamat-ul-Islam, which enjoins to profess

"I plight faith in God, His angels, His Books, and
His Messengers; and also in the After- World, Destiny,
Good and Evil as being created by God and the Resur-
rection after death," as I have already explained in my
preceding lecture.

Jb

ISLAM AND THEOSOPHY. 22g

Therefore I do not see what difference there is be-
tween a Musalman and a Theosophist. Of course it
may be argued from an orthodoxical point of view and
a spirit of intolerance that a Theosophist does not
observe the practical prayers and ceremonials of Islam.
In reply I may say that at the present age even one
percent of those, who profess Islam, in dress and words,
do not observe the practical prayers and ceremonials of
the religion they profess.

I have already told you that Islam is divided into
two parts (i ) Faith, and (2) Practice. If any one, ac-
cording to the principles of Islam, professes his faith on
Unity of Divinity, Prophets, Angels, Divine Books &c, he
is a Mu'min, Muslim or Believer ; and he shall ultimate-
ly find his way to salvation. Of course, for his neglect
of practical parts he is branded as a sinner, for which
some punishment is undoubtedly due. But the All-
Merciful Allah has, on the other hand, also promised in
the Holy Qoran and said

"Certainly God will not forgive the disobedience of
unbelievers who create partnership with Him ; but will
forgive, besides that, all other sins of whomsoever He
pleases."J

Thus you will find that Islam is the most liberal and
tolerant religion. In countries where pure Islam exists

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230 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

you will see a king and a peasant standing side by side
in prayer, and sitting side by side on dining cloth. On
the day of 'Id and Haj an earnest enquirer can observe
the real grandeur of Islam, when Musalmans from all
countries and climes, and all ranks of society, embrace
each other, and in congregation, bare-headed, with same
sort of dress dress of a true lover walking round the
sacred house of Ka'bah, admitting in form and spirit,
their positions and duties as creatures and slaves of the
Great Allah.

Therefore, I repeat, I do not see any difference be-
tween a Theosophist and a Musalman. The two words
are synonymous, and are expressive of the same notion
and same faith. In short, I am quite willing to declare
rather I do declare, that I am a Theosophist ; and I
hope that the members of the Theosophical Society will
not hesitate to call themselves Musalmans. Yes, I
am sincere in my conviction and honest in my expres-
sion ; and am quite ready to embrace you as members
of the same creed. Minor differences do not affect our
union in any way ; and they exist only for not knowing
each other well. I most fondly long to see the time,
in no distant date, when these two noble forces forces
of spiritualism against materialism that are running
towards the same goal, shall unite at some vulnerable
point, for the acquisition of the same desideratum the
same object of human life and human action.

You are aware of the grand Mission organization of
Christian Churches all over the world. Islam has, on

ISLAM AND THEOSOPHY. 231

the other hand, no Mission organization at all. Yet
from the informations we receive, we find that even at
the present age, and under the existing disadvantage-
ous circumstances, Islam is gaining ground. It is
simply owing to the sublimity of its faith, simplicity of
purity of its ethics.

I read the sign of the Time, and I find that the
whole world is drifting towards Islam, though in many
cases unconsciously. Its liberalism is the main cause of
its teachings and the attraction.

There are present in the meeting some gentlemen,
who if they desire, can give a most effective impetus to
these two noble movements Theosophy and Sufiism. A
society may be formed, and journals may be started,
promulgating the teachings of Islamic Philosophy, or
Sufiism, all over the world, by means of modern lang-
uages. I am confident that the two leading gentlemen
present here, representing the two communities, who
have, by education, intelligence, experience, religious
fervour and influence, means at their commands, for
such a grand and noble work The Hon'ble Mr.
Cowasji and The Hon'ble Haji Ahmad Mullah Baud
will not allow the opportunity slip out of their grasp.
And then, if God's grace favours the undertaking, there
will come a time for humanity, civilization and religion,
the grandeur of which I cherish only in imagination.
All religious differences in the world shall vanish.
Only one religion shall guide the destinies of all the
nations of the whole globe; and that religion shall

334 THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION.

In the alburn of creation look at my picture: the
painter of Divine hands has drawn my paiting.

f am the ^oul from 7/^X? (God), I am the spirit from
Khuda (God), by a wonderful workmanship grown from
water and earth (mud).

^ p i'li lf

8J, jyf ^y j) ^ i'UJK J -- 0) ^ A

I aril the throne of Divine E.ssence, also the medium
of manifestation of His attributes. I am the secret
cause of entire creation, made out of His own Light.

fi\ - J !<J^ fU ^ Jtiup ^j 4 - WkJl

J am a transparent mirror and a God-showing cup, 1
I am with Him. and without Him, O favourite of God !

*

ISLAM AND THEOSOPHY. 235

I am the Sultan-i-be-Neyaz (the Rular who knows
no want, i. e.-God) and upright like a tree called sarv ;
and I am at the same time the slave Neyaz (the author)
bent down like a bow (in prayer).
+ juJ|

I am intoxicated by taking a cup of Divine love,
and am in ecstacv since the day of Alust? I am without
head and f<et, relieved of the bondage of pfi^sical body.

O Zahid (follower of external worship) ! do not
blame me, and leave aside my utterances. Have you
not heard that a vast difference exists between what
is seen and what is heard ?

*i j# Jy

ajL-3 )^ ^b ^ ji ^^ jl

Hear the advice of Neyaz (the author) and come
out of yourself. When you shall come out of yourself
you shall attain to Divinity.

(i). A story, perhaps mythological, says that Jamshed, an
anciegt emperor of Persia, made a large cup, wherein entire
world was visible. This cup was called Jam-i-Jahan-Nama (world-
showing cup).

(2). God says in the Holy Qoarn that before the creation of
the material world He assembled all the souls and asked them
"Am I not Your Lord ?" They replied "Yes." This day is called
the "Day f Alust?