One question: one answer LEARNING AND EXPERIENCING IS OUR PURPOSE ON EARTH

Soul & Its Journey!

By
Khawaja Abdul Hakim Ansari r.a.

Source:
Taameer-e-Millat

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PART 1 Khawaja Abdul Hakim Ansari

In 1911 when I was 18 years old I took oath of allegiance in Naqshbandiya-Mujaddidiya order of spiritual discipline. And after seven to eight years of hard and continuous labor completed its course. This course developed in my nature humility, Piety and I was blessed with noble and excellent deeds and divine inspiration,but I could not get to the objective for which I had taken oath of allegiance that is I could not achieve the vision of Allah. After this I took the oath of allegiance in Chishtiya order of spiritual discipline and completed its course in five to six years.This course secured in my nature elegance, perception of beauty and comeliness and intense feeling of love and affection. But the vision of Allah was hard to find here also. After this I did not take oath of allegiance to any other order of spiritual discipline and I did thorough and extensive studies of Qadirya order of spiritual discipline and few other orders. But how to get the vision of Allah was not narrated there also. Now I adopted the attitude of complete silence and waited for divine elegance. At last Allah's mercy dawned on me and He, in His benign mercy, got me in touch with a divine person. He was an Owaisi (spiritual order of discipline related to Hazrat Owais Qadri). He himself owed allegiance to non; neither he took oath of allegiance from anybody. Hence I did not take oath of allegiance but did receive his grace in abundance for 20 to 25 years. Now I did get grace from him but continued reflecting and reciting as in the same old order of Naqshbandiya discipline. This time the divine course was covered in a strange way i.e. I passed the entire way from Nasoot to Zaat-iBeht seeing and understanding the surrounding all around i.e. first I saw the stages of Hell, and in succeeding order and moving about the heavens of A'raf, Malakoot,Jabroot, Lahoot and Hahoot reached the lower layer of Hoo. Here I overcame the state of Wahdatul Wajood. This is the same state which has been described as Reality by Ibn Arabi. Allah be praised! I did not stay longer here otherwise I would have remained a Wajoodi. When I reached the upper layer of Hoo I experienced the state, which has been called Zilliyat by Hazrat Mujaddid Alf-i-Sani. I crossed this very soon. After this I remained for some time in A'dam but continued proceeding forward till by crossing A'dam entered Alam-i-Amr and at last after continuous efforts of 26 to27 years I achieved my life's desire in 1953. Allah be praised! What I sought I got at the ripe age of 60 years and 42 years of continuous and sustained efforts by the grace of Allah. Allah is great and His bounty is boundless. To achieve the spiritual goal from Nasoot to Zaat-i-Beht is not a joke. It is the most difficult undertaking and only a few fortunate persons have the luck to achieve it.

PART 2
WHAT IS SOUL

By Khawaja Abdul Hakim Ansari

The mans soul is like a ray whose tip, that is, first end is in Rooh-i-Baseet and the other in the body of man. In Chapter Hud it has been said: There is no living creature but He holds it by its forelock. By this forelock is meant the first end of soul. This subject is very difficult. Therefore, for making it simpler I shall tell the first end of the ray A and the second J. It has been narrated that Maqam-i- Mahmmod (exalted position) of every soul is between A and J where the soul takes its shape from Wajood Amri to Wajood Misaali. This place will be B Thus the entire ray will be named ABJ. Now I describe some peculiarities of ABJ which will open up rare and unknown points and it will be also known how the back journey is completed. Despite the best attempt for clarity and explanation I know that except for those who are gifted with inner vision and knowledge others will not be able to understand it thoroughly. Yet what is being described is for diffusing learning and for the purpose of reflection. Now I describe the peculiarities and impressions of the soul whose little knowledge and perception has been bestowed upon me by the grace of Almighty Allah. 1. The soul is ray. This ray is continuous throughout and all the time from A to J till the order of Allah, that is, death does not occur, that is, nothing dislocates it by non-conducting process. In Chapter Al-Furqan, Verses 45 and 46 Allah say: Hast thou not considered (the work of) thy Lord, how He extends the shade? And if He had pleased He would have made it stationary. Yet we make the sun its pilot to show the way. Then e draw it back to Us, withdrawing it little by little. Formal learned men have taken shadow as the shade of a material object which is born of sun. For such a shade it is imperative that the sun is in existence before although in this verse lengthening of the shadow or the shade is mentioned first and this that Had I wished I would have kept it stationary there. Then it has been said: I have made the sun an argument and drew the shadow in my direction slowly and slowly. This shows that the meaning of the verse is something else. May be that Allah might have desired to show the prophet how the human soul acquired the shape of ray, shade or shadow and extended t the earth. But because the intention was that it should not be born, it contracted slowly and slowly towards Him i.e. in Rooh-i-Baseet. And He told the Prophet that this is the method I have shown to you. Rest you can understand through the concept of movement of the sun i.e. how its rays keep the creatures of the earth alive and living. Allah is knowing. But this verse is a shining guide to those who have inner vision and power of deliberation.

2. This ray is so elastic and quick in movement that it remains throughout with human beings whether he goes on foot or vehicle with any speed and wherever he goes. 3. From A to B and B to J there is always present and exact form or (similar form) of man in every particle of the ray which is the true copy of his appearance. The only difference is that as you proceed further from J every form becomes finer and finer. In reality it is the innumerable copies of one body. About them it can neither be said whether they are numerous bodies nor one body. It is very difficult to explain it in words. Something may be grasped by an example given below:Imagine the cinema hall. At one side is the operators room and on the other side the white curtain and in between machinery etc... In the operators room the film is set on o wheel. There is a hole in the wall in its front. The operator throws light on the film from behind which falls on a picture. And the picture riding on the rays of light appears on the white curtain. As an example imagine this film to be Rooh-e-Baseet and the picture that has been sent through the aid of light to the white curtain as un-used soul and the light which is coming from behind as the light which is coming from behind as the light of Allah----His wish or order and the vacuum between surface of the film and the curtain Alam-eMesal and the curtain itself as material world. Now reply to one of my question. Is there any particle is not in existence and which is seen still on the film but moving on the curtain? And also tell us whether from the film picture to curtain picture there is any place where the picture is not in

existence in these rays and also say whether it is one body or many. This example is certainly not perfect considering other points but I can give no better example to explain it. 4. The knowledge which human mind gets through fine senses, intellect and experience is also transferred t similar bodies according to proportionate fineness. Also the internal prudence. 5. The feeling which influences human souls also gradually affect similar bodies. 6. The human self who acquires its color through beliefs and actions also leaves its imprints gradually and steadily affect similar bodies. 7. The strength and weakness which man acquires in his character due to pious or bad deeds is also acquired gradually in the similar bodies. 8. This ray can move from one end of the universe to the other in twinkling of an eye according to the strength of human will. If this ray is the soul of any perfect saint then he can appear in person anywhere in any of his similar body anywhere in the universe through his will power (by order of Allah). This depends upon will power. Or he transfers his material self any where he desires. This is secret that often perfect saints have been found present at different paces at one time. Those who have acquired such power or have its knowledge know that the ascent of Prophet was physical. 9. The line JB is influenced through the upper portion of BJ from the ascending order of destiny. (This is luck). In all the material world and similar world, the influence of its environment is perceived according to its weakness and strength. (These are accidents). It is also influenced through the acts and functions which are performed by material body. (This is deliberation). 10. As long as this line is linked with point J it is called life. When the link is broken it is called death.

PART 3 FROM HEAVENS TO EARTH Every soul is (in existence) present like an atom in Rooh-i-Baseet. When Allah desires to bring into being any soul He fixes His life enkindling look in it, through whose effect this spiritual atom becoming longer like the shape of a ray (or in the words of the Quran, shadow) starts descending towards Alam Asfal, (neither most world) but unlike water the top of this spiritual atom remains stationary at its own place in Rooh-i-Baseet. After passing Rooh-i-Baseet this ray enters Aql-i-Baseet and according to its capacity while absorbing capacity intelligence reaches Nafs-Baseet and takes from it, its destined share. The meaning is that here Nafs is born into it. (What is Nafs? It is unused wish). Now this reaches Adam Baseet. Because according to the law of creation no life can be specified till it does not come against its opposite force. This is called anna(ego). Another aspect of this phenomenon is this that as the soul while passing through Aql and Nafs absorbs its properties, likewise while passing through Adam also absorbs destructive properties. If it was not the case, then whatever would have been born once would not vanish at all. Alam-i-Amr comes to an end at the end corner of Adam, that is, still its existence is hidden and is in the knowledge and will of Allah. Now this ray enters Hoo. Here it should be borne in mind that in every soul from origin to return its fate is hidden just as in the small seed of banyan tree is hidden the entire life of the giant tree being born from it. Now, for certain, this soul will be either a dweller in hell or a dweller in paradise (hellish or heavenly). If it is hellish, then some particular place is assigned to it in any of the stratum of Alam-i-Naasoot where it has to stay till the day of resurrection after the material journey. If it is heavenly then it is assigned some particular paradise in any world or stratum of the worlds of paradise. This very paradise is called Maqaam-i-Mahmood (exalted position) of this soul. In short, after completing the journey of Aalam-i-Amr this soul while passing through the worlds of Rooh-iAlam-i-meesal reaches its exalted position (or if it is hellish then to place of return in Alam-i-Nasoot). Here it stays for a while so that it becomes familiar with the place. In fact it is given life at this place which is rightly called spiritual existence. Now starting from the exalted position and covering through the remaining worlds and passing through Alami-Nasoot enters ether which is the finest and last limit of matter. From ether while absorbing fine senses and other material properties and strength according to its capacity goes to the sun of any solar system and after obtaining from it life or warmth of human soul gets to the sphere where it is to take its birth. Now it is entered through the process of arrangement on any eatable thing such as fruit, corn etc., and that thing is given for eating to one who is to become its father. It is transferred from fathers spine to mothers womb. It remains there for nine months for material formation and, then, after becoming human being is born to the material world by taking to material shape. Now after living a life as destined goes back to its place of return or exalted place and remains there till the day of resurrection. After this Allah will deal with it as He wishes. Here the particular point to be noted is how this ray in Rooh-i-Baseet traveling from its first tip gradually becoming thicker and thicker from fineness get to the sperm. What is sperm? It is bacterium or the foremost and thinnest unit of material bodies which is hardly visible through microscope. This very bacterium while taking its sustenance an the womb of mother gradually becomes thicker and thicker and comes out of the womb of the mother.

PART 4
MIGRATION OF SOUL FROM THE BODY TO OTHER PLANE OF EXISTANCE When the soul is out of body then the angels get it to the first layer of the world of Nasoot wherefrom it has to begin its journey hereafter. If this soul is of a person who did not believe in hereafter or meeting Allah etc. or if he was a sinner and was away from straight path then this soul is imprisoned here or it wanders about in the first layer of Naasoot. Chapter Anam verse 31 says: They are losers indeed who reject the meeting of Allah; until when the hour comes upon them all of sudden they shall say: Alas, we neglected it. In the end of this verse and in the thirteenth verse Chapter Ankaboot sins have been described as loads by Allah. Therefore it will be very difficult for the soul which is a sinner to move and march forward. Among them there will be souls so heavy which will not be able to move at all. They will be lying at one place like a paralytic or sick person. However it will depend upon the quantity, number and nature of sins of each person. In the initial layer of Naasoot there is the torture of blazing fire and boiling water. Those souls who serve this punishment are carried there. But those who are light and thin and strong because of their perfect faith, with belief and virtuous acts cross the Alam-iNaasoot like lightening and reach their most exalted station in a very short period. The souls of pious and holy men, martyrs and saints are so light and thin and powerful that they reach their most exalted station in the twinkling of an eye and they do not even feel what time they have crossed the layers of hell. All the souls destined to heavens have their direction of journey towards Allah. For this reason it has been said: From Allah we come and to Him we return and it has also been said like this: All the souls are destined to die and then will return towards Me. In this the word direction Allah has indicated the direction only. He has not said that it means to mingle and mix with Me as is said by some pious persons or common people. Allah has also said: O man you have to strive and go on striving towards your Lord, then will you meet him (84:6) He has also said: That you will climb from layer to layer (84:19) Here layer to layer means the same and similar world of Alam-i-Misaal which have been already been described. It is apparent that layer is always one upon the other: Collateral parts are not called layers. NOTE: I want to tell here plainly that whatever have been described here and the language that has been used, for example, up and below, forward and backward, distant and near etc., all have been used just to explain the subject otherwise in the Alam-i-Misal and Alam-i-Amr there are not the similar measures of direction, time and distance as are in the material world.

PART 5
ZONES OF HELL This has been narrated that coinciding with our material world is the world of Hells. According to my investigation there are 72 zones in this world of which a few zones in the beginning are deserts without vegetation and wilderness and burnt out and dry mountains, dreadful forest, fountains and lakes of boiling water, volcanic fountains and valleys full of fire. There is no trace of drinking water and whenever available it is hot and bitter. Among the tree except for prickly plants having very bitter taste and thorny bushes nothing meets the eye. After this, in a few zones some quantity of cold water, vegetation and better type of jungle and habitations are seen. After this every zone becomes better than the preceding zone till the 72nd zone which is superior in terms of greenery and vegetation to other zones and is slightly less than the paradise of the first zone of Alam-i-Malakoot. This zone is at the dead end of Zones of Naasoot. There is a wall in its front as has been narrated in Chapter Al-Hadid verse 13 and Chapter Araaf verse 45. After this wall begins the worlds of heavens of which the first is Malakoot. The difference between Araaf and first zone of paradise is that in the paradise there is better provision of food and drink and luxury than Araaf and are available without any efforts and labor. In Araaf all these things are inferior quality and are available with labor and efforts. The other difference is that the people of Araaf are jealous to see other in happy position. The intensity of this feeling is in itself punishment of hell for them. As opposed to this everybody is happy and content in his own place in paradise rather feels more delighted when he sees them in better position. In this way there is ever happiness in the paradise and no trace of unhappiness. If we follow this precept in this world, it can also become just like paradise. After giving through this narration many may say that if this is the fact then what is the difference between material world and spiritual world? The answer is that surely Barzakh is through and through spiritual and not at all material. But there our body will also be spiritual and the spiritual body will have all the quality and quantity such as comfort, suffering, cold, heat and softness and hardness etc, will be felt exactly as is experienced by our material bodies in the material world. If this was not to be then the narrative in the Quran and traditions about the punishment in hell and privations of that place, for example, fire, boiling water, bitter food to eat and thorny plants, hot water to drink, blood and pus etc., etc, would all be meaningless, likewise in the narration of heavens, HURS and Places, gardens and eatable and drinkable things and different delicacies and pleasures which have been descried would have been meaningless. In truth whatever has been narrated by Allah in the Holy Quran is word by word correct and it should be believed by a Muslim in the same spirit. It has no other explanation.

PART 6
ZONES OF PARADISE Beyond Araaf the worlds of heavens begin. The first one is Alam-i-Malakoot. It has 36 zones each of which is better and better than the preceding ones. Beyond Malakoot is Alam-i-jabaroot and still beyond it is Alam-i-Lahoot. Both of them have eighteen zones each and each of which is superior to its preceding zones as regards structures and possessions, vastness and magnificence, greenery and vegetation and purity, beauty and grace. Those places and buildings, gardens and canals, fountains, fruits and flowers eatable and drinkable things, Huris and Ghalman etc and the feelings and exhilaration which is perceived due to the manifestations and countenance of Allah whose narration is being left because of fear of details. Those who disbelieve may dig through the pages of the Quran and traditions of the Holy Prophet. So far I have described Alam-i-Lahoot. Now I narrate worlds beyond it but once more I feel it imperative to remind that the greatest difference among these worlds is of thickness and thinness. The first zone of Alam-i-Nasoot is the thickest. Beyond it every zone becomes thinner and thinner and the thinness attains its culmination until it reaches its central point which is the pivot of Reality. Beyond Alam-i-Lahoot is Alam-i-Haahoot which has 14 zones. The first zone of this world is so much thinner that outlines of its heavens and palaces appear very dim even to the most prudent souls. In the zone beyond, these outlines gradually becoming dim is reduced to mere imaginary lines and with its 14th zone even the imaginary outlines of figures and shapes disappear altogether. In the zone the souls of only those saints live who have gone from this world after attaining excellence in knowledge. Beyond it is Alam-i-Hoo. Its zones cannot be determined; still the farther we go its fineness goes on increasing. This is like a sea of light where there is nothing except splendors of Allah and in these splendors are present every type of joy and pleasure. Alam-i-Hoo is the abode of those souls who have acted hundred per cent upon the Quranic in junction: withdrawing yourself from everything, devoting yourself exclusively to Him and in the real sense by making their souls desires oblivious of everything of the world leaning towards Allah only. In reality the zones of heavens come to an end in Lahoot. Hahoot and Hoo are not the zones of heavens but are the soul of the zones of heavens or their real shape. It has been said in the last verse of chapter Furqan: Hell is indeed an evil halt and an evil abode. Again at the end of the verse it has been said: And abide there (Paradise) for ever---what an excellent resting place and abode. The question arises that those in hell after the chastisement will go to the heaven, but where will the people of heaven go after their temporary stay in heavens? The place beyond are these zones of Hahoot and Hoo,. Here the souls of those saints will live and are living who have obtained His nearness and access by perishing in His love while living. And the soul will be nearer to Arsh in accordance with their proximity to Allah. Beyond Alam-i-Hoo is in successive order Adam Baseet, Nafs Baseet, Aql Baseet and again Rooh Baseet and then, Arsh Kibriya and in its centre is Zaat Baht or Haqeeqat Kubraa about which He Himself says, too glorious is your Lord, the Lord of Power for what they ascribe to Him. This is the Zaat which has no quality or in other words all the opposite qualities are so gathered that nothing particular is discernible. The meaning is that simultaneously everything is present and nothing is also present. Again there is no limit or end to Zaat Baht. Every seeker views and perceives Him according to his capacity and gains real knowledge and in it, much further off, is the place where Holy Prophet too cried out: I could but know not the Reality as I intended.