The Holy Quran
They
Ask You Concerning The Spirit
They
ask thee concerning the Spirit.
Say: "The Spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord:
Of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to
you."
If it were Our Will, We could take away that which We have
sent thee by inspiration:
Then wouldst thou find none to plead thy affair in that
matter against Us.
surah
17: 85-86 Al Isra' (The Night Journey)
Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The
Holy Qur'an, 1989.)
Verily it is We who give
life and death;
And to Us is the Final Goal.
surah
50:43 Qaf
(Abdullah
Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an, Amana Corporation, 1989.)
The
Qur'an confirms that little knowledge is given to the
Muslims concerning His Ruh (Holy Spirit or Adi Shakti).
Allah had already revealed that the Trinity was a false
conjectured doctrine. Any attempt to explain His
Ruh would have only confused the illiterate desert dwellers,
and even smack of hypocrisy and falsehood as "there
were quite a number of idols or gods worshipped among the
Arabs, and sura 71.23 bears witness to this. There is also
that surprisingly frank account in the Qur'an of the
occasion when the Prophet apparently made somewhat of a
concession to paganism in reciting sura 53.19-20 concerning
Al-Lat, Al-'Uzza and Manat, the goddesses of the Sun, of
Venus and of Fate respectively. . . However, it is obvious
that idolatry was rife at the time of Muhammad. He was not
going to have an easy time convincing his people of the
existence of one true God. Worship of Al-Lat was extremely
widespread, and her means "the goddess." "
Thus whatever
was revealed of the Spirit of Allah to Prophet Muhammad was
the barest minimum in order to contain a volatile situation.
But the fact remains that Allah made it a point to mention His
Spirit without revealing anything about it's nature. This seemingly
frivolous act 14 centuries ago today burst forth in all
splendor as His Ruh proclaims and explains Al-Qiyamah to all
humankind. The little information 1400 years ago is now an
Oasis of Knowledge for all Believers to drink. The Holy
Qur'an, an indisputable revealed book, literally breathes
with precise prophecies and fulfilled promises for all His
children of various traditions.
The Qur'an uses two terms "Ruh-Allah" and "Ar-Ruh-Al-Qudus"
for the Spirit of God. Such is the case in the following
references: "We gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear
proofs [of Allah's sovereignty], and we supported him with
the Holy Spirit [ar-Ruh-al Qudus]," (Surah 2, Al-Baqarah,
The Cow: 87).
"When Allah saith: O Jesus,
son of Mary! Remember My favour unto thee and unto thy mother;
how I strengthened thee with the Holy Spirit [al-Ruh al-Qudus],
so that the Scripture and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel .
. . and thou didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by
My permission; and how thou didst raise the dead, by My
permission" (Surah 5 Al-Ma'idah, The Table Spread: 110).
"Go, O my sons, and
ascertain concerning Joseph and his brother, and despair not the
Spirit of Allah [Ruh-Allah]" (Surah 12, Joseph: 87).
Note that the above quotations
from the Qur'an make reference to God, to His Word, and to His
Spirit. If one examines these references carefully, one could
agree that the Qu'ran does indeed teach a belief in the Word of
Allah, and the Spirit of Allah as well as in Allah the Almighty.
Hamid S. Aziz (Islam For Modern Students) has this to say
about the Spirit of Allah:
"Some
people have asked about the concept of Spirit in Islam, and
there appear to be several views about this. Here, this
concept will be examined using all references to it in the
Quran.
The
word spirit is connected with breath and, therefore, with air.
The breath is what keeps us alive and yet air was a mystery in
that it was invisible. Spirit, therefore, stands for something
very subtle. It refers to inner experiences - consciousness,
conscience and will. It is responsible for revelation,
inspiration, intuition and insight as opposed to knowledge
which comes through the outer senses. The Spirit is by the
Command of Allah:-
"They
ask thee concerning the Spirit. Say: The Spirit is by
command of my Lord, and of knowledge ye have been vouchsafed
but little." 17:85
"It
is naught save mercy from thy Lord." 17:87
We
may suppose that it refers to something very fundamental which
cannot be explained in terms of anything else. It is by or
comes by the command of Allah. It may refer to a fundamental
force in the Universe which carries information or Truth, for
Allah has created everything with his Word and with Truth. It
is likely that the stage by stage condensation of the Spirit
is responsible for all levels of the heavens and earths.
"Allah
it is who created seven heavens and of the earth the like
thereof. The Commandment cometh down among them slowly, that
ye may know that Allah is able to do all things, and that
Allah surroundeth all things in knowledge." 65:12
"But
His command when he intendeth a thing, is only that he says
unto it: Be! And it is " 36:82
"He
created the heavens and the earth with truth, and He shaped
you and made good your shapes and unto Him is the
journeying." 64:3 and 6:73
"His
Word is Truth, and His will be the Sovereignty on the day
when the trumpet is blown." 6:74
The
Spirit ascends into Heaven and descends into the earth.
"From
Allah, Lord of the Ascending Stairways whereby the angels
and the spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is
fifty thousand years." 70:3-4
"The
Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels
and the Spirit descend therein by the permission of their
Lord, with all decrees. Peace until the rising of the
Dawn." 97:3-5
These
two verses speak about two different cycles of events -
there appears to be a spiritual circulation.
"Lord
of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them,
the Beneficent; with Whom none can argue. On the Day when
the angels and the Spirit stand arrayed, they speak not,
saving him whom the Beneficent allows and who speaks right.
That is the True Day. So whoso will should seek recourse
unto his Lord." 78:38
This
refers to the Final Day of Judgement. The Universe itself is a
cycle and will be wound up (28:88). Things begin with the
Spirit and end with it. The Divine Spirit has been breathed
into man and this is what gives him consciousness:-
"So
when I have made him (man) and have breathed into him of My
Spirit, do ye (angels) fall down, prostrating yourselves
unto him." 15:29 also 38:72
"He
directed the ordinance from the heavens unto the earth; then
it ascends unto Him in a Day, whereof the measure is a
thousand years of that ye reckon. Such is the knower of the
invisible and the visible, the Mighty, the Merciful, who
made all things good which He created, and He began the
creation of man from clay; then He made his seed from a
draught of despised fluid; then He fashioned him and
breathed into him of His spirit; and appointed for you
hearing, and sight and hearts. Small thanks give ye! And
they say: When we are lost in the earth, how can we then be
re-created? Nay but they are disbelievers in the meeting
with their Lord." 32:7-10
Note:
-
(1)
the change of person from the third to the second - he has
become aware of himself. He has received some of the qualities
of the creator.
(2)
Three faculties are mentioned - hearing, seeing and feeling.
These should be understood as referring not just to outer
senses, but to inner ones, in particular to conscience,
consciousness and will.
(3)
that "small thanks" refers to ungratefulness -
people do not act according to the spirit in them. The spirit
has become dormant.
(4)
The possibility of resurrection is connected with the spirit.
However,
we have to distinguish Nafs (soul) from Ruh (spirit). Whereas
the Spirit is a Universal principle, each person has his own
soul and it can degenerate or it can be made to grow.
"Be
careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a
single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain
has spread abroad a multitude of men and women." 4:1
and 7:189
"And
the soul and Him who perfected it and inspired it with
(conscience of) what is wrong for it and what is right for
it. He indeed is successful who causes it to grow, and he
indeed is a failure who stunts it." 91:7-10
"Surely
We created man in the best stature, then We reduced him to
the lowest of the low, save those who believe and do good
works and theirs is a reward unfailing. So who henceforth
will give the lie to thee about the judgement? Is not Allah
the most conclusive of all judges?" 95:4-8
"Whosoever
does right, it is only for the good of his own soul that he
does right, and whosoever errs, errs only to its hurt. No
laden soul can bear another's load. We never punish until We
have sent a messenger." 17:15
Also
2:223,231, 3:25,30, 5:105, 6:12,20,70,164, 7:53, 9:42, 10:108,
11:21, 14:51, 20:15 and many more.
The
soul may be regarded as a local organisation of the spirit and
contains the information relating to the individual (his
inherited and acquired characteristics and those created by
his own efforts at integration). That consciousness is
connected with the soul can be seen from the fact that sleep
and death are alike:-
"Allah
receives souls at the time of their death, and the soul
which dies not in its sleep. He keeps that soul for which he
has ordained death and dismisses the rest till an appointed
term. Lo! Herein verily are signs for people who take
thought." 39:42
The
existence of the Spirit within man makes him a Vicegerent, a
person who ought to be serving Allah, and exercising the
faculties he has received on behalf of Allah. He was made as
an instrument through which Allah can act more directly.
"When
thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a
Vicegerent in the earth, they said: Wilt Thou place therein
one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we,
we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know
that which ye know not. And He taught Adam all the Names,
then showed them to the angels, saying: Inform me of the
Names of these if ye are truthful. They said: Be glorified!
We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us.
Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower, Wise." 2:30-32.
Man,
having been given some of the divine powers could act partly
independently with his own initiative, creativity and sense of
responsibility, though still dependent for these powers on
Allah. This independence is not possible for the angels. In
particular man was given the capacity to form concepts (the
Names may also refer to the Attributes of Allah). It is this
which gave him the power to do the evil and chaos which the
angels feared, but Allah knew better. He could through
experiences and trials lead them towards voluntary surrender.
The
spirit exists in man as a Trust:-
"Lo!
We offered the Trust unto the heavens and the earth and the
hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of
it. And man assumed it. Lo! He has proved a tyrant and a
fool." 33:72
Here
again we see that man is accused of not allowing it operate on
behalf of God.
"Nay
verily man is rebellious that he thinks himself independent.
lo! Unto thy Lord is the return." 96:6-8
This
dormant spirit in man can be reactivated by the Messengers.
These are persons who have already been chosen by Allah to be
guided by the Spirit.
"He
sends down the angels with the Spirit of His Command unto
whom He will of His bondmen saying: Warn mankind that there
is no god save Me, so keep your duty unto Me. He hath
created the heavens and the earth with truth. High be He
exalted above all that they associate with Him." 16:2-3
"The
Exalter of ranks, the lord of the Throne, He casts the
Spirit of His command upon whom He will of His slaves, that
He may warn of the Day of Meeting." 40:15
"O
you who believe! Obey Allah and the Messenger when He calls
you to that which quickens you (brings you alive), and know
that Allah comes in between the man and his own heart, and
that He it is unto Whom ye will be gathered." 8:24
"Even
as We have sent unto you a messenger from among you, who
recites unto you Our revelations and causes you to grow, and
teaches you the Scripture and Wisdom, and teaches you that
which ye knew not." 2:151
Muhammad
was such a messenger:-
"Say
(O Muhammad): The Holy Spirit hath revealed it (the Quran)
from thy Lord with Truth, that it may confirm the faith of
those who believe and as a guidance and Good Tidings
(gospels) for those who have Surrendered (to Allah)."
16:102
"And
thus have We inspired in thee (Muhammad) a Spirit of Our
Command. Thou knowest not what the Scripture was nor what
the Faith. But We have made it a light whereby We guide whom
We will of Our bondmen. And lo! Thou verily dost guide unto
a right path., the path of Allah, unto whom belongs
whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth.
Do not all things reach Allah at last?" 42:52-53
"And
lo! It (the Quran) is a revelation of the Lord of the Worlds
which the True Spirit hath brought down upon thy heart, that
thou mayest be one of the warners in plain Arabic
speech." 26:192-195
Note
that there is a connection between the notion of Spirit and
Light. The spiritual regeneration or resurrection is brought
about thus:-
"Is
he who was dead and We have raised him unto life, and set
for him a light wherein he walks among men, as him whose
similitude is in utter darkness whence he cannot emerge?
Thus is their conduct made fair seeming for the
disbelievers." 6:123
Other
Prophets were also inspired:-
"Lo!
We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the Prophets after
him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob
and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and
Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Psalms. And
messengers We have mentioned unto thee before and messengers
We have not mentioned unto thee; and Allah spake directly
unto Moses." 5:163-164 and many other verses.
Believers
are also strengthened with the Spirit:-
"Thou
wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day
loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though
they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or
their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their
hearts and had strengthened them with the Sprit from Him,
and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers
flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with
them and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's
Party. Lo! Is it not Allah's Party who are the
successful?" 58:22 Compare this with 89:27-30
Jesus
was such a Messenger:-
"And
verily We gave unto Moses the scripture and we caused a
train of messengers to follow after him, and We gave Jesus,
son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the
Holy Spirit. Is it ever so, that when there comes unto you a
messenger from Allah with that which you yourselves desire
not, you grow arrogant, and some disbelieve and some you
slay." 2:87
"And
those messengers, some of whom We have caused to excel
others, and of whom there are some unto whom Allah spake,
while some of them He exalted above others in degree; and We
gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and We supported him
with the Holy Spirit. And if Allah had so willed it, those
who followed after them would not have fought one with
another after the clear proof had come unto them. But they
differed, some of them believing and so disbelieving. And if
Allah had so willed they would not have fought one with
another, but Allah does what He will." 2:253
"When
Allah said: O Jesus son of Mary! Remember My favour unto
thee and unto thy mother; how I strengthened thee with the
Holy Spirit, so that thou spakest unto mankind in the cradle
as in maturity; and how I taught thee the Scripture and
Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel and when I inspired the
disciples saying: Believe in Me and My Messenger, they said:
We believe. Bear witness that we have surrendered unto Thee
(i.e become muslim)" 5:110-111
"And
when Jesus, son of Mary, said; O children of Israel! Lo! I
am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which
was revealed before me in the Torah, and bringing good
tidings of a messenger who comes after me, whose name is the
Praised One. yet when he hath come unto them with clear
proofs, they say; This is mere magic." 61:6 See also
3:50
"But
when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he cried:
Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples
said: We will be Allah's helpers. We believe in Allah and
bear thou witness that we have surrendered unto Him (i.e
become muslim)." 3:52
Since,
the Spirit is in all human beings, the Quran does not regard
Jesus as being more than human.
"The
Messiah, son of Mary, was no other than a messenger,
messengers the like of whom had passed away before him. And
his mother was a saintly woman. And they both used to eat
food. See how We make the revelations clear for them and see
how they turn away!" 5:75
"O
people of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion
nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The
Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah
and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from
Him." 4:171
"Lo!
The likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam.
He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! And he
is." 3:59
This
is, of course, how Allah crated all things.
"When
the angel said: O Mary! Lo! Allah gives thee glad tidings of
a word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of
Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of
those brought near (unto Allah)." 3:45
"Then
We sent unto her (Mary) Our Spirit and it assumed for her
the likeness of a perfect man. She said: Lo! I seek refuge
in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art God-fearing. He
said: I am only a Messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow
on thee a faultless son. She said: How can I have a son when
no mortal has touched me, neither have I been unchaste? He
said: So it will be. Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And
it will be that We may make of him a revelation for mankind
and a mercy from Us, and it is thing ordained."
19:17-21
Note
that:-
1.
The Spirit is a Messenger from God, something which transmits
truth.
2.
The Spirit appeared in the form of a man. This appearance has
been called Gabriel. Gabriel is said to be an Archangel made
of spirit as angels are made of light and jinn of fire.
3.
Jesus is the Messiah, and a Revelation for mankind which had
been pre-ordained. He is a revelation in the same sense that
the Quran is a revelation.
The
conception of Jesus is described as follows:-
"And
she who was chaste, therefore We breathed into her something
of Our Spirit and made her and her son a token for all
people." 21:91 and also 66:12
This
is, of course, how Allah introduced the Spirit into man.
"Remember
when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am gathering thee and
causing thee to ascend unto Me, and am cleansing thee of
those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow thee
above those who disbelieve until the Day of resurrection.
Then unto Me ye will all return, and I shall judge between
you as to that wherein ye used to differ." 3:55
Being
a word and spirit from Allah, he was not crucified though it
seemed so outwardly.:-
"And
because of their saying: We slew the messiah, Jesus, son of
Mary, Allah's Messenger - They slew him not nor crucified,
but it appeared so unto them; and lo! those who disagree
concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge
thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for
certain. But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah was ever
Mighty, Wise." 4:157-158
So
there need really be no argument between Muslim and Christian
- it appeared unto them that Jesus had been crucified and
died. The reason why the Quran denies that Jesus was crucified
seems to be as follows: - Christians think that it is the
sacrifice of Jesus which was necessary to save them from Hell,
that by so doing he paid for their sins. This idea also made
it necessary to think of Jesus as a god, son of God, which the
Quran denies. This sacrifice was previously symbolised by the
willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son. But, in fact, the
son was substituted by a lamb. They also suppose that he was
resurrected after this death and it is this which gives proof
that resurrection is possible. But the Islamic position is
that if Jesus died and was revived, then there was really no
sacrifice. It still remains true that everyone will be judged
by their own deeds. People may, however repent and ask for
forgiveness. Allah is quite able to forgive sins without the
sacrifices of a mediator. Christians have made Jesus the focus
of their religion whereas Jesus himself wanted them to focus
on God (John 17:3-6,12 Matthew 7:21-23). The gist of his
teaching was about how spiritual resurrection could be
obtained within this life (See John 1:12-13, 3:3-7). Final
resurrection will take place in any case and may lead you to
Hell.
It
is true that Jesus devoted his life to Allah and to teaching
people and was willing to bear their persecution, but this is
also true of other Prophets. The Christian position is that
God loved the world so much that he sent His son (John 3:16)
who also loved mankind so much that he was willing to
sacrifice himself for them (John 15:13). The position of the
Quran is that all Prophets and Messengers and their scriptures
were sent to mankind as a Mercy from Allah (6:12, 6:54,157,
7:203, 21:107 and many more). It is this love which should
induce in man a reciprocal love and this in turn should lead
to surrender and resurrection. The Quran assumes that such
love exists:-
"Say
(O Muhammad unto mankind): If you love Allah, follow me.
Allah will love you and forgive your sins. Allah is
Forgiving, Merciful."
Resurrection
through love is also seen in the following verse:-
"And
when Abraham said: My Lord! Show me how Thou givest life to
the dead, He said: Dost thou not believe? Abraham said: Yea,
but I ask in order that my heart may be at ease. His Lord
said: Take four of the birds and cause them to incline unto
thee, then place a part of them on each hill, then call
them, they will come to thee in haste. And know that Allah
is Mighty, Wise." 2:260
However,
Jesus is a sign of the Day of Resurrection.
"And
lo! Verily, he is a Sign of the Hour. So doubt not
concerning it, but follow Me. This is the Straight
Path." 43:61
This
may mean several things: - that his return will be the
beginning of the Day of Resurrection which may imply a
world-wide spiritual revival or the Final Day of Judgement;
that he is an example of the spiritual resurrection; that he
represents the technique mentioned in 2:260 above. Note the
Straight Path.
Since
resurrection is connected with the spirit, there are three
ways in which this can be understood:-
(1)
the spiritual resurrection of individuals (who are spiritually
dead). e.g. 6:123
(2)
the spiritual regeneration of a people or community.
(3)
The Resurrection of all humanity including all those who have
died physically in the past.
The
spiritually unregenerate individual, being spiritually dead
will, on physical death, cease to exist until the Day of
Resurrection when he will be revived. But since this a period
of unconsciousness, no time will have passed.
"And
on the day when the Hour riseth the guilty will vow that
they tarried but an hour - thus were they ever deceived.
But those to whom knowledge and faith are given will say:
The truth is, ye have tarried by Allah's decree until the
Day of Resurrection. This is the day of Resurrection, but
you used not to know." 30:55-56 See also 10:46, 17:52,
23:112-114 etc.
It
is possible that there is a series of death and
reincarnation:-
"Thou
causest the night to pass into day, and Thou causest the day
to pass into night. And Thou bringest forth the living from
the dead, and Thou bringest forth the dead from the living.
And Thou givest sustenance to whom Thou choosest without
stint." 3:27
"Ye
shall journey from plane to plane." 84:19
But
from the Islamic point of view, if you are not conscious of
your past lives then this idea is meaningless. As far as the
individual is concerned there are just three conditions: -
the time before birth, this life, and the hereafter.
"How
disbelieve ye in Allah when ye were dead and He gave you
life. Then He will give you death, then life again, and then
unto Him ye will return." 2:28
The
Day of Resurrection is the Day when a person becomes conscious
of his past life.
"And
the trumpet is blown. This is the threatened Day. And every
soul comes along with it a driver and a witness. (And it is
said): Thou wast in heedlessness of this. Now We have
removed from thee thy covering, and piercing is thy sight
this day." 50:20-22
However,
the people of faith, as we see from 30:56 above, are
different:-
"Think
not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead.
Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have
provision." 3:169
"Whoso
obeys Allah and the Messenger, they are with those unto whom
Allah has shown favour, of the Prophets and the saints, and
the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are
they." 4:69
Though
this immortality is not explicitly stated about the others, it
a question of understanding what "slain in the way of
Allah" means. It could mean one who has "died to
this world" in so far as ambitions, greed etc are
concerned - he has sacrificed these in the service of Allah.
All these may be regarded as being alive in some other state.
It could be that they might also reincarnate as teachers and
guides as Jesus is expected to do.
As
far as communities are concerned, the Quran appears to
recognise the rise and fall of civilisations. The rise
initially requires a spiritual impulse. But the deterioration
takes place automatically by material laws (the Second Law of
Thermodynamics). Ordinary experience shows that conscious
efforts are required to learn anything new, but that things
become habitual, automatic, tradition bound and deteriorate.
This is indicated in verses such as the following:-
"Systems
have passed away before you. Do but travel in the land and
see the nature of the consequences for those who did deny
(the Messengers)." 3:137
"O
mankind! If ye are in doubt concerning the Resurrection,
then lo!.... And thou seest the earth barren, but when We
send down rain thereon, it doth thrill and swell and put
forth every lovely kind. That is because Allah, He is the
Truth. Lo! He quickeneth the dead, and lo! He is Able to do
all things." 21:5-6
"And
who sends down water from the sky in due measure, and We
revive a dead land therewith. Even so will you be brought
forth." 43:11 See also 36:33 and 50:11
"If
He will He can remove you and cause what He will to follow
after you, even as He raised you from the seed of other
folk. Lo! that which ye are promised will surely come to
pass, and ye cannot escape." 6:134-135 See also 4:133
"And
every nation (or community) has its term. When its terms
comes they cannot put it off an hour, nor yet advance
it." Quran 7:34
"And
for every nation there is a messenger. And when their
messenger comes (on the Day of judgement) it will be judged
between them fairly, and they will not be wronged."
10:48
"For
every message there is a term, and soon shall ye know
it." Quran 6:67
The
Final Day of Judgement is symbolically described thus:-
"And
the trumpet is blown, and all who are in the heavens and the
earth swoon away save him whom Allah wills. Then it is blown
a second time, and behold them standing waiting! And the
earth shines with the light of her Lord, and the Book is set
up, and the Prophets and the witnesses are brought, and it
is judged between them with truth, and they are not wronged.
And each soul is paid in full for what it did."
39:68-70
"Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed
before them which indeed return not unto them. But all
without exception will be brought before Us." 36:31-32
There
is some controversy about whether this is a physical
resurrection (reincarnation) or a purely spiritual one. It
depends on how the following is interpreted:-
"Until
when death comes unto one of them, he says: My Lord! Send me
back, that I may do right in that which I have left behind.
But nay! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is
a Barrier until the day when they are raised. And when the
trumpet is blown there will be no kinship among them that
day, nor will they ask of one another. Then those whose
scales are heavy, they are the successful. And those whose
scales are light are those who lose their souls in hell
abiding." 23:99-103
Perhaps
it does not really matter whether it is a reincarnation or not
because everyone will see the world they come to as being just
as solid and real as this one.
After
the resurrection and Judgement:-
"And
ye will be of three kinds: those on the right hand.... those
on the left hand.... And the Foremost in the race, the
foremost in the race; those are they who will be brought
nigh in Gardens of delight; a multitude of those of old and
a few of those of later time..." 56:7-14
It
is likely that it is these from among the Foremost who descend
again into the physical plane as Messengers. Jesus, for
instance, is expected to return."
H.S.
Aziz, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1998, 9:57 AM
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Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi is His Ruh sent to collect, promulgate, recite, explain and announce the Resurrection
(Al Qiyamah) to all humankind, as promised in the Quran.
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"Adi
Shakti's Power is Divine; is described in every
religion. Same in Islam called Ruh. In Bible is
called the All-Pervading Power. It's called as Alak - that cannot be seen; Niranjana, the One
that is beyond any attachment . . .
All these words are used for this Divine Power.
People have heard about it; people have sung about
it but unfortunately very few people felt it. And
when they felt it they didn't know how to give
it to others; how to make others feel it.
So whatever they talked became sort of story or
some nonsensical thing. Nobody could believe that
they have felt anything like that or could imagine
that there is such a Power really existing.
Now luckily it has become quite a universal fact
for all of you - that you know there is this
Power. You are sure about this Power because you
can feel it within yourself. And when you feel it
you feel very joyous . . . the Power of Adi Shakti
(Ruh of Allah) - She tells you the Truth."
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Cabella, Italy - June 9, 1996
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Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi is His Ruh sent to collect, promulgate, recite, explain and announce the Resurrection
(Al Qiyamah) to all humankind, as promised in the Quran.
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"The Primordial
Mother was the Primordial Power of Divine Love. The Power of God
separated from God itself. God was the Witness - Witness of
the Play of the Divine Power. There is no difference between the
Two. God Almighty and His Power are just like the sun and his
rays. For us, for human beings it is impossible to conceive the
mystery. Moreover, in our ego, we think we can understand
Him."
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
The
Mystery Of God, U.K. - June 8, 1981
"The
reflection of Adi Shakti within you is the Kundalini. Whatever
is created on this Universe and in many Universes, is the work
of the Adi Shakti. Now many people believe that there is one
God-it's true, there's one God-God Almighty. But He has His own
powers which he can embody into someone and can get His own
manifestation expressed. So first of all He created the power of
Adi Shakti. When it was created, then there was a sound, the
sound that we call as OM - logos or anything you call it; the
primordial sound - and these three powers came out of that
sound, is aa, oo and ma [a, u, m]- om [aum]. The Adi Shakti is
the one who embodies the desire of God Almighty. The desire of
God Almighty comes out of His compassion and for His own
expression, for His own manifestation, for His own reflection. I
would say that He must be tired of loneliness so He must have
thought of creating a partner who will manifest His desires.
Thus, the power of God Almighty separated from Him and formed an
embodiment of His compassion, His desire to create. They say in
Sanskrit Chitvilas, the enjoyment of the Adi Shakti. Chit is
attention. The attention has its own joy and to manifest that
joy of our attention, She created all the universes, She created
this Mother Earth, She created all this nature, She created all
the animals, She created all the human beings and She created
all the Sahaja Yogis. This is how the whole creation has worked
out.
At this juncture, one may ask that "Why did She not straight
forward create human beings?" That was the idea of God Almighty,
just to create human beings. But Adi Shakti, being the Mother,
She had Her own way of expression. She thought She must create
the mirrors for God Almighty to see His face, to see His image,
to see His character and that's how this long range of evolution
took place. This evolution had to work out this way because they
had to know from where they come. We must know that we come from
nature. Even nature should know it comes from the Mother Earth,
and Mother Earth herself has her own Kundalini-and she too is
not just a dead earth, but she knows, she thinks, she
understands and she regulates. You can see in the nature how
every tree has got its own limitations, how every fruit is
produced in a particular tree - how it happens? what works out
this kind of regulation? If this Mother Earth was moving with a
higher speed than what it is today, we would not have been born
even. If it would have been less speed, it would not have worked
out. See the whole plan that was made - it is a beautiful plan
that the Mother Earth has to move around the sun in such a
manner that different seasons are created, that's why the power
(the Parama Chaitanya, which is the power of the Adi Shakti) is
also called as Ritambara Pragnya. This is the power that does
all the living work, all the organization, all the creation.
In our human ego we start thinking that we do something, we can
create. We cannot even create a dust particle, leave alone
anything else. We may combine, we can put together and create
something. But if you see that this whole thing is nothing but
beyond any power - we cannot create anything. But what do we
create is our myths, I should say. For example, something is
made of gold, still it is gold. Now, something is made of wood,
whatever it is made - is wood, the principle is the same into
everything.
So whatever may be your birth, whatever may be the country you
are born, whatever may be your culture - you are human beings,
basically you all are the same - you laugh the same, you smile
the same, also you cry the same way. I haven't seen anybody
crying with his hands and tears falling out of his fingers - do
they? And, that is how one has to realize that we are all bound
by some common principle of life - and the common principle of
life, that has bound us by the Adi Shakti, is that we all have
Kundalini within us. All the human beings have Kundalini within
us. It is not, it is in the animals also but it's not so
developed, it's not yet, what you call is a full form of
Kundalini that can be awakened. But in the human form only, it
has evolved as a connection, as the one that is the Divine Force
within us, which is the reflection of the Adi Kundalini, which
is so easily awakened in this Kali Yuga. This is the common
principle we all have. So we have to respect all the people -
all the human beings, whatever nation they come from, whatever
country they belong, whatever colour they have - because they
all have their Kundalini. Then there are people, as you people
are, who are awakened people, who are enlightened people, who
have got your realization. So, when you understand that this is
the enjoyment of the attention of the Adi Ma, of the Primordial
Mother, it's just the play and an enjoyment.
Then, when you have achieved your full growth in spirituality
what should happen to you? What should we feel? How do we then
exist? This is the question many a times you have asked. I have
told you in the beginning that God felt lonely and that's why he
created this Adi Shakti and through Her the whole universe was
created. But also true that as you are seeking also the Divine
is seeking you. Also that your seeking is absolutely awarded if
you understand the simple thing about Divine. That it is the one
that has given you intelligence. It is the one that has given
you wisdom, it is the one which has given you whatever you have
- as you were singing, "whatever we have is given by You." If
that is the case, that all that you have is given by your
Kundalini, by this Mother power of your Kundalini, then it's
very important to understand what is the need of keeping Her
happy and Her satisfaction. You must try to see what makes Her
happy. As I said, there's a relationship between the realized
souls and the Divine. The Divine is happy when you are happy. Or
we can say when the Divine makes you happy and you are happy,
then the Divine is happy. It's such a relationship and it's so
close, it's so close, we can say as the sun has sun's rays, or
the moon has its own moonlight. It is so close, it's so
in-grained, so much built-in and that should give you full
control over yourself and over your development. They describe
it in various ways, that you must surrender.
Now, one surrenders, of course with fear, if somebody comes with
a sword and says alright, "you surrender", you may . But, as
soon as that person will disappear, he will take out another
sword and cut his throat. That surrender has no meaning. That
surrender is a surrender which is just forced onto you. All such
surrenders have been creating problems because it has a
reaction. But your surrender to Divine is extremely joy-giving.
Like salt, which dissolves into the sea, automatically, into the
water. That soluble nature is really joy-giving. If you can just
feel that, within yourself, you are one with the Divine, you are
dissolved with the ocean of the Divine. And then, what takes
your form is nothing but extreme love, compassion and as a
result, extreme joy.
Adi Shakti's power, this Divine, is described in every religion.
In Islam called Ruh; in the Bible it's called as all-pervading
power; it is called as Allak, that which cannot be seen;
Niranjana, the one which is beyond any attachments, sort of
thing. All these words are used for this Divine power. People
have heard about it, people have sung about it, but
unfortunately very few people felt it. And when they felt it
they didn't know how to give it to others, how to make others
feel it. So whatever they talked became sort of a story, or
something nonsensical. Nobody could believe that they have felt
anything like that, or could imagine that there is such a power
really existing. Now, luckily it has become quite a universal
fact for all of you that you know there is this power. You are
sure about this power, because you can feel it, within yourself,
and when you feel it, you feel very joyous. You can make out
whether somebody is telling you the truth or not because you can
see on the vibrations, on this, I should say, the power of Adi
Shakti, she tells you the truth.
If somebody has done some harm to you, for example, now you may
say, that "Mother, if you forgive that person, then it's not the
truth, because he has definitely harmed, and if I forgive that
means that I accept that he has not harmed." This kind of
argument is possible. Now you will see, you will be surprised,
that you forgive that person because the truth is, whether you
forgive or you don't forgive, you don't do anything - that's the
truth. So, out of compassion, if you forgive someone, compassion
becomes the truth. It's the compassion that tells you the truth.
So, all the absolute truth that you know is through the
compassion of the Divine Power. Maybe, sometimes people say "we
saw the vibrations Mother, and we felt this way and still it
happened," it makes no difference, whatever has happened, has
happened, doesn't matter. You have felt the vibrations, and you
asked the vibrations, and you acted upon the vibrations, that's
all. Whether it turned out to be that way or not, is different.
Because, it had to be the other way round. Some drama is going
on, it's the Chitvilas, is the enjoyment of the Chitta of the
Divine. So, it's a play going on, if you can see that play, then
you don't get disturbed, it's a play. How it works, how it is
organized, is not your headache, you just have to see the play
of the Divine, how it works out. We have seen now, all of you,
which you call as miracles have happened. "Mother this miracle
has happened, that miracle has happened and I know it's all the
miracle of the Divine.
Despite that, our faith in the Divine is not so much enlightened
faith. When you have the enlightened faith you don't worry about
things which are very important in life. If it works out, well
and good, if it doesn't work out, well and good. It should not
be assumed, that once you are a realized soul that the whole
world can fall at your feet-not necessarily. It's a play, it's a
beautiful enjoyment of the attention of the Adi Shakti. So, if
you can become the witness, if you can really become the witness
of the whole thing, then what happens, you grow spiritually much
closer, I should say, you get dissolved into the Divine Power.
"How I can dissolve others into this ocean of joy, of this
compassion?" Now, you will be surprised that it is your own
compassion only, which is going to give you strength. This
compassion within you, when you will see people are getting
completely drowned, completely destroyed-your compassion itself
will make you powerful. And you will do everything that is
needed, you will give up all nonsensical activities and you will
really dedicate yourself to emancipate other people. And
amazingly as you will do this, your own level of spirituality
will rise. As you see, I would say that when you dissolve, say
some salt in the water, the water rises. In the same way, the
more people, when they will come to Sahaja Yoga, the Divine
Power will manifest much more-it is manifesting already. But the
more people there will be, there will be much more
manifestation, because it will be like so many channels that
will be working it out.
Without Divinity there's no saving for human beings. That,
everybody admits, everybody says so. But they have no idea, as
to what is Divinity, what is the way to achieve it. While you
all have this, you have power to awaken Kundalini. You know all
about chakras, you know all the defects of the chakras, you can
find out from the vibrations the truth about everything. The
more you use this power, the better it will be. Now here you
should understand the relationship of the God Almighty and Adi
Shakti. It's complete unison, complete understanding. God
Almighty is the spectator, he's watching the work of the Adi
Shakti. She is compassion, of course, she doesn't say that
something should be destroyed or something should be killed,
alright, she's compassion. But he's the one who takes charge if
somebody tries to do something against the Adi Shakti, it is he
who takes charge and changes the whole scene, in such a manner
that you don't understand how it has happened, how it has worked
out. What you have to do is to enjoy the play. In the same
manner the Sahaja Yogis should have a unison, should have
understanding, enjoyment among yourselves.
Anything you find very difficult, is not, because you take it
upon yourself - but if you leave it to this All-pervading Power
of Divine love, to this power of Adi Shakti-Paramchaitanya,-nothing
is difficult, nothing is so bad that you cannot manage it. Adi
Shakti has her own Kundalini, which is the Adi Kundalini, and
the reflection of that within you-is the Kundalini.
Shri Mataji, Cabella Ligure, Italy - June 8, 1996
A d i S h a k t i – T h e P o w e r o f C o m
p a s s i o n
LAA
UQSIM BI-YAWM AL-QIYAMAH;
WA-LAA UQSIM BI-AN-NAFSAL-LAWWAAMAH
I do
call to witness the Resurrection Day;
And I do call to witness the
self-reproaching Spirit.
SURA 78.–THE NEWS [XXXVII.]
In the Name of God, the
Compassionate, the Merciful
Of what ask they of one another?
Of the great NEWS.1
The theme of their disputes.
Nay! they shall certainly knows its truth!
Again. Nay! they shall certainly know it.
Surah 78, The News
J. M. Rodwell Translation, The Quran
1 Of the Resurrection.
