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    The Nur Muhammad and the Logos Doctrine per Sufism

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    The Nur Muhammad and the Logos Doctrine per Sufism

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    204 views18 pages

    Kazemi - Light Upon Light

    Uploaded by

    IsmailiGnostic
    The Nur Muhammad and the Logos Doctrine per Sufism

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 18
    Borrower: BHA Odyssey 3 Lending String: BHA call: DIV GEN BL41 .157 2010 2 Patron: Ande Kha £ Location: BHA 4 Jouenal Te: ltereigous nermeneubes lied a by Catherine Come and Chnstopher Conway. 32 Mai BS votume: tesue Charge 2 Maxcost 3 Shipping Address: Harvard Univ Dwinly Sch Andover Harvard ‘Author: ‘Theological Libe Ancover-Harvard Theological Libary Article Title: Light upon ight? the Quran and 25 Francis Avnue {he Gospel of John Cambridge, MAG2128 ‘Special Instructions: Fox: 617-496-4111 Al Andover-Harvard Impeint: Via Scan and Dslver Service ILL Number: 4055934 ILLiad TN: 4060060 5 Light Upon Light? “The Qur'an and the Gospel of St.John Reza Shab-Kazerni And uno the Wehave veld the Scsigare with theta. as {one f whatever Sopa was before and aba pol ‘ordhereot (Quran 548) ‘The Qur’an rfers to itself asa confiemer (musadg) and protector rahi) ofl scriptures revealed prior tothe ur an itself We take ‘his principle asthe starting point forthe elections that follow onthe theme of nterelgios hermeneutics. If his principles operative and icacios, we shouldbe able to stdy pre-Qur ane scriptures with 2 ‘iw finding therein truths pencils, and insights confirmed by the ‘Qur'an. 1 should ako be possible to derive hermeneutical principles from the Qur'an by means of which the content ofthe eae scriptures ‘canbe inexpreted and comprshended. The converse should also hold ‘one shouldbe abet study the Quran in the light of eae scriptures, such that therlatonslp between the diferent scriptures be character {aed by reciprocal confirmation and mutual lamination: “Light upon light G39) Such a view of separa revelation confronts two obstacles, one rmodern and the other tadtionalon the one hand it fies in the face ‘of modern “higher” crtcsm and postmodern deconstruction, where ‘scriptures ate not so much plumbed for thei intrinsic content—let ns Light Upon Ligh lone sen as sources of revealed tuth'~ae they are dissect from the point of view of extrinsic context—hisorial, cultural, terry and on {he other hand this view challenges the broad thrust of most traditional ‘modes of exegesis as regards the relationship wih the religious “Other” Polemical refutation, rather than spiral afmaton, ofthe scriptures ‘ofthe Other has prevaled, and ths, tothe extent hat the Othe figures tall in ones own exegesis Inthe Islamic tration, for example, most, Muslim encounters with pe-Qur’aniesriptures have taken the frm ‘of polemical refutation, few taking very seriously the challenge to son- firm (et alone “protect those sripures From a Qu anieperspec- tive, then, the fleld of intereigious hermeneutics is bth immensely fertile and sl largely ncuivate, ‘We base the refections whic follow largely onthe esoteric exege- sis of Ad al-Razzaq Kashani (4.1329), and upon the perspective of ‘one of his masters and chef sources of inspiration, Muly'a-Dia Ibo al~“Arabi (1265), the inaugurator of the school known as wahdat ‘lw? The commentary of Kashani takes us according to Piere Lory “to the very root ofthe Su endeavour: the encounter withthe holy word, and the spiritual force proper ti, not only onthe level of ‘meaning, bu inthe most intimate dimension of the meditating soul” 1. Far iq of pone homens the ih ofS pen | eps Te Oth th po One Te Ue fe a a ‘nd Inefth Dialrue (Cadidgs en Tents Sct a) Cpe Te Termeni of upon oo Sen”, 2 Sey Hsien Nas ret ch al etna Dar Shah, Moghl ric, those Wasa of Hinds ota hse Oe wing sh athe jo ‘a bape (Cone fhe Tew Ona eee on canton Ut hse wee evens Ga a that Upniae ee the ‘hen oak tamale oi the Qu at 5678 Fret on ef sc tal coe wen ha oer wold gon see Nes “I ad the corer of Elgon In Su Eas Loo, en& Un, aehiarse 5, See mes W Mar The Rf Hear Daring Spang a Arab "Mon ana Lle ens Vso wor ing sath nag ih ene th cpr Scr of hi age oh ae a Pratl ecntnpory tds ser ie 4 iar Lory Ls Commie trips Cr apr ‘Ah raga (than arc Lex Deu Oct 198) 7 Se othe cles wk by bake Saad in, The Bok of Cray re se Sr (Cam: ae en Sec 1990h which fle onan paid epson of ge Intereligious Hermencutics crf eadng oti commente rinses one tape Ch he myn hich the Quran" le Bok or any western Stade hus sown the sed of deep spl seeds whic ive ced and need the eligou ifthe nic omni or the past fouten cena” yulppd wh hermenestial tools deed fo Sal exegesis we sal engage with the Gnpl ofS Joa, and in prc wih reps whch hae dosnt fr oreo it on acount fa mylene whi nds el wth ind f engagement reste terete i stand, Bente provides sch a der conee She ofthe cosnce of Choy and thus, nef the ast cont entl eps of Main Christan dog. We hope fo show at the clo incompatiy between eran dogmas of Chrsianiy {eth fndamenta tenet lam canbe ascended yan ester if eps ns fh fy pope er 0 ‘ier ca be rough gato Jemonstatea concordance or “Srpuestrty ona planeta supaes helo. The hecoil tSeamputy ie ow lv thse sland the smetliyproporoned fh can be trnscendd by thighs nied om eer nee “The Qur’an as Confirmer? ‘lpr Kahan cme o ein nk vere Tipo Connnaue snus bed omy wri i the eases etc ad otc Ea a of is (plcsumentaeeon tba Arai eam mck aa che Sattemonng ee Light Upon Light mally divers; that i, inwardly immutable, while outwardly variegated sccording to time and place, peoples and contexts! “Tis Wision arses out of relection on such verse asthe following: sent unique + “The Messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed ‘nto him from his Lord, and (so do the believers. Everyone believeth in God and His anges and His scriptresand His Messengers—e make no distinction between any of His Messengers” (2285)? “And We set no Messenger before thee but We inspired im [seyingl There is 0 God save Meso worship Me" (21:25) + *Naught ssid unto the [Mohammad] but what yas sad unto the Messengers before thee (43:43) + *Hechath ordained for you ofthe religion (nin alin that which He commended unto Noah, and that which We reveal to thee [Muhammad], and that which We commended unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divide theres" (413). + "And We caused Jesus, son of Mary to fallow in thee footsteps «confirming that which was [revealed] befor im inthe Torah, and We bestowed upon him the Gospel wherein is guidance and light, confirming that which was revealed] beloe iin the “Torsha guidance and an admonition unto those who ae pi ‘us Let the People ofthe Gospel judge by that which God hath evwaled therein” (5346-47), ‘Say: Tam no innovation among the Messengers” (46). Tem inportant eee tet aed th von i argu fh al-Aabwthose aas mighb sen sn cterc elton of iba tee ot "hens mods won grants ile Pope Sterns oy Caner Dap The gone of Wako Chap: Kar se) 2. Thepyse"we maken dint betwen ay of Hs Mesengena omes| ‘avr inthesae Cite a santana 35 Interrligions Hermeneutics Formal divers: + “Foreach ofyou [communities] We have established a Law and 1 Way, And had God willed, He could have made you one com ‘any. But in order that He might try youby that which He has given you [He has made you a ou ate. So ve with one another ‘in good works, Unto God ye wil all turn, and He wil inform yotaf that about which ye dere (5:8) 4+ "Unto cach community We have given sacred rites (mansaan) ‘which they reo perform, se them nt dispute with thee sbout the mater, but summon them unt thy Lor (22:67) + “And We never senta messenger save withthe language ofhis people, so that he might make (Our message) clea then” Ge. + “Porevery community there isa Messenger” (2047). In the light ofthis conception af the major scrprural traditions ‘ofthe world the spe of intreligious hermeneutics is nourished by 4 ison of revelation which is ll embracing: a vision which can be ‘entiched by the ble tha the scriptures, fr from contradicting each fhe in any essential manne, mutually confi each other, and this inspite ofthe fac that they diferin ways that are Provident, and rot merely ecidental® For these very difrences om the level of for smal expresion are not only eeconcled on the level of essence; they also enanifest he principle ofthe necessary uniqueness ofeach ofthe revealed forma uniqueness willed by God: “For each of you [com ‘unkies] We have extablished a Lave and a Way” (emphasis added), (One particular dispensation—Legal and spiritual—implis uniqueness, id this in erm implies difeence. Diference or otherness thus fa firs being «cause of aggressive alienation; rather isa source of ere ave stimulation: one is invited to explore the revelations granted to ‘the Other for the sake of enhancing on’ knowledge of oneself and the 1. Te cont betes poston nd ht of ihn Hick rom irene etme lpn ae td in oc Kata dunt bee pena 0 he ‘mete eae Frain of the contrast toe ae of neta ‘sted nthe Quran perspective ad jon His pron. se my The Oe the ig of i On he ton tied "Naas Unie ve Hr Pan Light Upon Ligh? (Other—the two modes of knowledge being one ultimately ist this ‘principle of the deepening of knowledge of oncslby means precisely ‘fone encounter with the Other ha the ellowing verses allude:"And ‘of His sgnsis the creation ofthe heavens and the earth, ad the difer- ‘ences of your languages and colours. Indeed, herein ae signs for those wo know” (0:2).“O mankind rly We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another" (apn). “The Arabic word translated as “know one another” is taf, and som the same oot as the word ma’ fa, which refers nt justo ‘knowledge inthe ordinary sense, bu to spiritual knowledge. tis to be noted that ina sacred utterance (hadith gud) to which we shall turn ‘ew, Gud declares thatthe reason wiy He created the word was in ‘order tobe “known (w'ma). Twas hidden reasure and loved tobe known “This conception of the diferent sexiptures as essentially identi- ‘al and formally diverse, then, enables o enjoy vision of mutually ‘luninatng revelations, each seipmceTenctoning not #0 much as 3 ‘iror in relation to the others, but rather as «multifaceted, unique cysal,eeceiving the one and only Light of God, and refracting this Light as iferenly colored ays of ight in unique, kaleidescopic pa tems." These crystaline jewels can be seen, moreover, aot a sai, Dutas in perpetual motion, dynamically genersting new configurations of divine self-disclosure for each witness, at each montent. In terms of ‘his image, particular shades of color represent particular meanings, 2 Tis syig fandament Sul tps ten by chal ath ound ters oft hain of amin, it tl deemed ‘errs mania, ths ciation being dete an npn o 39 ‘aoe the ji and mani in der ht hy igh np Ne™ We broths mph igh Fw ra Scans cp es np ‘he appa comitos baw ious foe Themtaganseen ae fens no more fect ne une Tah hate stags ween png ‘lars therein of hoe unsure igh face) cus ys ‘epi dane aniston oi, prvi hep ning thera wih aes se ad racing ths ray ck ts min sores “toms l ts al gol dogs tenga ero and to femaon ofr makespan the rye Reeaton issue be han hry heal ks frase Din Sera: Sun Tie Treen ‘Unt aigionsane Rte Towns Laan: Fae & aber 9) Interreligions Hermeneutics insights, openings the diferent colors cen thus be found to eflact each other with gresteror lesser luminosity, being located ina particular, ‘unique configuration but every color nonetheless can be sen in al the other erysals, What we hope to convey by this symbols the ide that «ven if particular ideas expressed ns the Gospel are found reflected in the Qur'an, this doesnot imply tat thse ideas wil have the same function, accenuaton or implications—the same shades’ of meaning. timely, dhe principles azeidentical—the Message being one—but {his entity ie atirme only in the supra-conezprul modes of spiritual tealiration to which the ideas giveaccessn terms of our image, the i= ferent ras oflight and shades of color ae identical only in their unique uminous source Respect forthe uniqueness and irreducibility ofeach scriptural revelation, acknowledgement of the fandamental, God-gvendiffer- cnces between the revelations, a refasal to engage ia any kind ofa tific, syncrstic conjoining of these distinct revelations onthe level ‘of formal ofthis must, we blew, ener nto the artculation of any tnterregioushermeneutte that wshes to remain ffl wo what we ‘might call the prineple of “scriptural intentionality Just asin the dis ‘pine of phenomenology one sresss the nce 1 respect that whichis “intended” by the phenomenon under investigation and doesnot super Lmpose upon i our wn categories of thoughts in the domain of the scriptures, that which is intended” by the Revealer ofthese scriptural phenomens—sccordng to the Qur‘anle vision, at any rates that feich revelation be distinct and therfore unigu® on the formal plane, finding their limate unity only on the wanscendent plane. There may be intimation ofthis transcendent unity onthe lowe planes of formal ‘thought, and isto these that our esoteric orientation wil ead usin the fal awarsness that they are bu pital allsions or mystical tea- Jestories. They are not intended to be seen as the foundations for any kindof substantive sdenty onthe plane of formal exoteric doctrine. AS ‘regards the present essay, we wl be searching for way of understand ing the Prologweof the Gospel of Soba, and in particular itsemphasis ‘on Christ’ divin, conjunction with key Quranic verses including ‘those which emphasie the basi message of transcendence. We argue thatthe base theologlal incompatibility between the plncple of di vine immanence expressed in St Johns Prologue and the overall mes Ligh Upon Light? sage of divine transcendence (enc expressed inthe Qur'an might be surpased by an esoteric exegesis, and that thie act of “gong beyond «can be accomplished without detriment the integrity ofthe eligious forms assumed by Christianity and Islam, In the Beginning “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word ws God. The same was in the begining with God All things ‘were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was sad” (jhnis1-3)" Let usstart this exercise in comparative hermeneutics bylookinget the phrae“n the begining” Its clear tat this phrase refers not tothe “beginning” ofthe divine nature, which as neither beginning. norend, sit transcends the temporal condition altogether: that which eer ‘cannot hae beginning any more than ican have an en, The Qur'an tellus that Hei the Tis athe Han, aud he Ouray Mnf. snd the Invardly Hidden” (57-3) and the commentators are almost ‘unanimous in affirming that the firsnes and issiness in question isn realty a eference to eternity in oer words, beginninglesness (cal) and endlessness (aba). The temporally defined notions of fs and ast are but points of reference, psited only fom the hustan pint of views and are simply symbols pointing tothe teinscendence of time by the sternityof God. "In the begining” can then only fer othe beginning ofthe process of creation or manifestation the origin or prefiguration ‘ofmnifestation, the fist glimmerings ofthat ight from which ereation Proceeds. This is expressed inthe opening verses of Genesis—verses 1-3: "In the beginning God erated th heaven and the earth. And the ‘arth was without form, and vid: and darkness was onthe fice ofthe esp. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face ofthe waters. And God sid: Let there be ight and there was ight” "a ill gots in thi chapter cee the King ames sion of the Ihe unks where aces, 1a Thi stb ator oon train ofthe Qur'an sed oe MM. ll, se Moi oft rs ur a a Tt Inerrligious Hermeneutics ‘The Gospel afrmation that inthe beginning was the Word and the Genesis sfirmation that in the beginning "God created the heaven sad the earth are combined inthe Quranic ffimation: "When He ‘ecreeth an afi, He saith unto ie Be, And tis 19:35)” The creative word, “be (un) is thus the source ofl eration, the initial foreshad- owing of divine Selfmanifestation, which canbe understood in terms fof the Word, the Logos. Among the Sus, and in particular within the school of Tho “Arabi, this creative Logos is identified with “the ‘Mulhanenadan Light” (al-Nura-Muhanomad of “the Muhammadan | Realy” (al-Hagigaa- Muhanamalyya. CChitick summarizes wall the basic identification that seected ‘within theschooloftbm ‘Arab, between the"Breath ofthe Al- Merial” the restive word “Be! “the Muharmadan Reality” and “the Realty of| Realities’ ‘Viewed a6 cosmic principle that undergedsllof maniest risen, the Realy of Reais i led the Breath ofthe Al Mersf. At Go peas sing “Be 10 each thing tat “ie ene to engender Hs one Word Deore ates 3 the existent things witha ie benth is breath His mere, eich in Kora terms embraces een (7:15). The Realty of Ress. snot sdetcal wth God ort ite nt rm Hi, ike cs ot ental ith he ttl ono, tor it diferent fom the ttl cosmo The eumas makes ‘manfe indiferentted dea all the eats ht the Realy (Reais embraces ul ont perfect oc of manesation tne the ere oman being and, most specilly.the prophet Mubanmad. Hence the Realty of Real, ocala “the Brat ofthe All Mes kena with he Miharmsds, Reig" 14h oelton comes in vai fos ogo the Qua soe ove ths aera 93 coer mame fete dsp ts fhe arouse nh spec synthe ade to which dal rn ne Wiliam C. Chik, The Sf Deseo Gal Principle of Aas coming ay Sate Uns of en York Pro 9p) me ao a fester la hat the ceive wd Ka send wih he dn nd hence ‘Sonus ened his lo a bln eine Sn lb egy [nile a al net oundef ict of theolg,Aea'n fb aa (tao Ga cee speck lala ete wh om ‘tan! law andthe le scraed. iew he unceedne of he QU Ligh Upom Light? “The Logos, then, which we can enti with the Quran eet ‘Word isnot only the meansby which inward knowledge of the Essence ‘is outwardly articulated-—the means by which the “hidden treasure” of the Essence becomes knowns its als that by which al formal manifes- tation is inwardly prefigured. The absolte Esence utterly transcends all conceivable elationship with relativity ang which i would be re stvized by tha very relationship: tohavea relationship with relativity” is tobe “elated to" relativity. and thus inescapably related thereby, ‘There can be no common measure between tis uterly non-manifst [Essence and the domain of manifestation, Relativity othe domain of ‘manifestation can only emerge from the supramanifest by virtue of ‘mediating principle, theshold an “isthmus (barca) which relates, the Absolute tothe relative. To perform this function, the mediating Principle, the Logos or Muharimadan LightRealiy, must partake of the nature of both the Absolute and the relative." On the one hand there isa metaphysical distinction between the Word and God, and on the other, essential identity between the Word and God "the Word was ‘sth God? implies distinction: the Ward was God” implies identity. “This mediating principle an aso be understood in terms ofthe ‘Vell iid) of God, woven ofboth ight and darkness, according to the following hadith: “God has seventy thousand veils of ight and dark- ‘ess; were He to remove them, the glories of His Countenance would ‘consume ll those who looked upon Him" The Quran alldes to the impossibility of direct, unmediated manistation ofthe Essence in the respons to Moses request to see Go” "Yu wil ao ee Me, but ‘sary ie ofthese gj He gues 6 and the comments yng ‘hat ifthe Qn were rate, hth we ous bea to Be (God sald" Hs urn, then hr tance woud equi ap tera” ‘hi wold ooo ad init, hence st roves at the tran at eon teed Ab Haas a Aa a bane a yan (Bett Dara ats My it A 996 CE 1s. Tl rnp i fred by Seon athe “ive Ae ate ‘in conde non othe pare Abs, he eto uity ae Esc nd te baa wen cnet pl of vw fay Se ‘Schon, Dann a oomingn Word Wisdom, 339, 16. Sahih sn, Bak meno. 1, CE ois 320-2, where God eo Mo "Yo cannot se my Fae for man cant ee Me nd ean ane” CE Ea 9 he Maer sat re ‘eth pope fom cing te Lind an thy pring on gy Interrligous Hermencutics took upon the mountin: ft stand stil nits place, then you wil see Me! And when be Lord revealed Himself (jal) othe mountain, He ‘ately fattened it nd Moses ell down unconscious” (7143) Likewise the Quran refers t the inapproachabity of the divine sence: God warns you lo beware of His Sef (3328, repeated at 5:30. “This is confirmed by several sayings of the Prophet to the effet that ‘one can mediate upon the divine Qualities, but not on the divine Essence “The vil of God, made up of both light and darknes, thus both reveals and veils at the same time, allowing an aspect ofthe light ofthe "Essence tobe transmitted through the vel, such that eeation might be seen as 2 crystallization ofthat ight: nthe whole of existence, then, there is nothing bat ight, steaming forth from the divine Essence, mediated bythe veils of light and darknes, and manifesting in the world as grades of coagulated light: "God is the Light ofthe Heavens And the cart (24:33) Lights thus atone with Being (at whatever evel, transcendent and eternal or Snite and temporal), and darkness here identi with nothingness. “Al tungs were made by hin;and without him was not anything made that was made Thi was life andthe ie was he light of men. And the light sineth i darkness: an the dark ‘ness comprehended it not" (John 1:35). "The light shining “in the darkness’: without the veils of darkness the ight ofthe Essence “would consume al those who Tooked por Divine Light and Walaye Returning to the words of John ("nh was fe and the hfe was the light of mea’) we should note the correspondence with the fllowing ‘verse ofthe Quran: “Why; ihe who was dood, and We gave him li, ‘nd appointed for him a Light by which to walk among the people as 19, where jah “wrapped face in is mann ohn 8, which eds: “No un hat sen Gd aay tS Sam Rama Da eV of Ga ras ‘Nigh Mora (endo: Fath ram a6) spec chat The Vso ‘Go orn he Taught of the Ble the Easy Fates 31-7 1 lain oye five arions on haying i is carlaton of rope ying Ai aa Bt Dara 972) 382-43 Light Upon tight? fone whose likeness is inthe shadows, and comes not forth from then (amy Up uni verse 4 ofthe Gospel of Jon, then, we have not found it very dct to see the ways in which the Quran, read esoteric, “confi the metaphysical import of the Lagos doctrine in terms of the creative Word. But when the Wordis"made est” andissaid to have “dwelt among us” (1:24) as Jesus, we are faced with a move challenging ‘asi which will compel sto enter into the means by which Jesus and ‘Muhammad might be seen, in Quranic terms, tobe embodiments of the sesame Logos. Before addressing this challenge, howeves, lt us read the verses, leading upto this declaration, doing s in two sections. First, verses 6-4: "There wasa man sent rom God whose name was John, The same «ame fora witnes, o ear witness of the Light, tht all men though him might five He was nt that Light, but was sen o bear withess ot that Light John 16-8, ‘To what extent does the Quranic narrative of Jon in relation to Jesus confirm the message of tis passage inthe Gospel? Thee is one passage in the chapter aamed af the Bese Virgin (Surat Maryam) {hat one should carefilly note inthis connection For one observes a ‘umber of remarkable siiarities in these two pasages.” There i in both cases—to Zecharia, the father of Johns end Mary, the mother of Jesus—the apparition of an angel to announce the news of the im minent birth ofa son; the words addressed to them by the ange. and the responses given by them are similar; several ofthe phrases used describe John and Jesus are identical: a vow of allence is observed by both Zechariah and Mary afe their Vion ofthe angel. But there ae also notable difeences between the two neratves—in particular the following on: whereas itis the angel who describes Jans Jesus ‘who desries himself through the miraculous words tered by him as «baby ill in his cradle. OF particular significance are the words tthe end of Jesus’ discourse: "Peace be upon me the day Iwas born, the day 1 dean the day I shall be raised up alive (2933) Inthe case of ohn, it 15. Sv Mam (9 vee 1-5 the sry Zachariah ad 6-8 ato Marion Se ay “us inte Qua Sled nd Compan’ The ura of Ban bv Aa Sci 4203) 57-5 afl aon ‘ethos ache on inthe long argh Interreligious Hermeneutics isthe angel who invokes peace upon him: "Peace be on him the day he tess bor, the day he dies andthe day he shal erased up allve” (292155 emphasis aed) “The readeisstruckby the contrastbetween the invocation of peace upon oneself and the invoking of peace on another. Furthermore, tis peace withthe dfinite atl (salam) that Jesus invokes upon bitn= es whereas itis the indefinite form (salamun) that i invoked by the Sngston fon Isasifther sa deliberate juxtaposition here between the divine attibate of peace (one af Gods Names being Salam) in respect of jesus andthe general quality of peace (ultimately divin, in ft emence, but considered here athe level of ts formal manifestation) in regard to John, This contrast might be Interpreted san allusion to the filles of divine ie and the totaly ofsupremeSefconscoosess that infused the human substance of Christ from his very inception, this substance ise being the very Word of God: Jesus was indeed Goods ‘Word (lima), according to the Qur'an “east unto Mary. anda spirit From Hin (172)- We do find the Surat Maryam a clas articulation bf the distinction bebween a prophet sent o Dear witnes to the Truth, lind one who, in acertan sense, constituted in and of himself the Trt, For his vocation of blessings upon himself can only be fll justified ifitbea cate ofthe divine Light revealing ts own laminosty and inte igi rather than egrng wo be rendered visible by ight external to te thislatter point symbolized by the fact tat ohn sblesed by the angel (a othe”) and nt by himself, Soin this passage, we do see ‘Kind of confirmation, t principal Level ofthe fact that Jb “was hot tht Light, but wis set to ear wines of that Light” (ohn 18) This interpretation is further supported by the evidence given inthe following verses from the Qua: 1 The angel tells Zaarias thatthe son he wile given, fn willbe *xeonimer”(musadlg) ofa Word from God (39) 1 Inthe same chapter, six verses later, Marys told by the angel that the son she wl earl be "s Word from Him? (34) Jabs function, therefore, inches, essential the confirmation ofthe Word which Jess i. One might see here an esoteric key to un “Gertanding the meaning ofthe “common word referred toon vers Ligh Upon Ligh? 64 ofthesamechapter:"0 People ofthe Book, come toa common word betwen us and you...” The Word which esis constitutes is confimed by John, the Jewish prophet, by the Quran, the lami revelation, as well as by the New Testament: Jesus isthe common word cornmon that 'stoall three monotheistic traditions fa any case, iis clear that, fom «Quranic perspective, Joha was indeed sent Yo beat witness ofthat Light” —that Light which the Woed i. The equating of Jesus wth Light in Quranic tems le poss iar we dice he er sal meaning of the “Muhammadan Light” from allusions within the a= ih th thin th That was the te Ligh which pth everyman that cometh Into the wodd. He was inthe wr and the word as made byrhim and the wold Kaew hi no. He ae un is own, and his own rected hm Bot Ba tanya esd it 9 them gave he pomer to hee the ns of Go eve to thom that love tas ame which were born, noo lod, nora ‘he willofthe Mesh nor of he wl of an but of Go And the Word was made sh nd dh mong wr le ore lary sof the only begten othe Fath fillofgrace snd vuh- Jobe 9-14) 1s cl this dee om he ein of spananii re guration of yt the monited wor Gm the pa Loge tothe cre Word ings ino de ogc cotta Son withthe thao the Quranic sage ode tscendene (tari Tee inte Quran, tea he nie mre sett ess tha conte ths pura, defied of irs The ony wo in which ween dcr 2 Quran eo. fenton ofthe ee orev inte hem acrng o uel pric rather ha ores th apa sone Intherwords the parr lgi dognnofte on an Suing esos can econ instar aan be nerd Sone eile ds mane ce ‘on not by es ut yal the diay pointed Mesenge ti kit, yal at xh neal pone en hn be Inereligows Hermeneutics dented withthe “Muhamnmadan Realty” as opposed to simply the Prophet Muhammad: that i, the universal spntual essence (hagiga), rather than the specific human being. According to this perspective, the Maammadan Reality is identical with the supreme archetype of the Quran, refereed to a the "hidden Seripure” (5678), the “mother ofthe Scripture (433), andthe "Preserved Tablet” (8522)" ‘Airs sight, such an interpretation appears to lyin the face ofthe ‘Quranic port ofthe Prophet. Lite, on the surface, would appear to justly any reference tothe Prophet in tems ofthis universal cosmo- ‘gonie function, ultimately rooted inthe metaphysical identity between the Prophet as “Wor” and God as the Speaker theeot. The Qur'an is repeatedly at pains to point out thatthe Prophet is but mortal Likewise all other Prophets, including Jess, had no angelic (et alone vine) nature such that through them the whole of ection might be ‘engendered, No doubt the divine “intentionality” forthe thrust of the ‘Quranic message isto asset the transcendent unicty ofthe creative function, an reat the idea tha any partner should share in this func tion, such sharing being te very detnition o hr, associatung “part ers with God. Despite thi stress o transcendence, however (which ‘we can compare to the brightest ight, the most dazaling color refracted bythe crystal of the Quranic revelation), its possible to discern a ray flightless duzling, but early harmoaizing with an analogous ight streaming forth in abundance fom the crystal oft Jon's Gospel. ‘We would cll this Quranic ray af ight walaya a word that ean rot be transated by a single word into English, for it comprises the notions of authors mastersip, and patronage: proximity. friendship nd sunctiy. The name al- Walt, deriving from tisroot, pertains both to {God and tomar; aplisdto God it means “the Master/Paron/Protector”| 2, stu hs detifction eae the Mahara ety andthe scot the Quran tha ane an ett «meas caespndens between {BPs and ows The more nme ependsce, howe ned Sent charset the Qu ata es bth Being uncer of {Goa Stash as Ana Sune Fl Sch and Seed Hosen Nasr ned ta ss the Word de tfc) he Qa | the Word nes Boo ria) Sete reaming hep Lana ‘Rint the Wide Come” Mats ond Csi Dig Thery ar “Appa Cn Hod Wale E-sy sr Dai ine, (New Yor ‘get, frhoming) fran lent engin is heme, sed on Conlin ierpaons fty sonra he spare Light Upon Ligh? were applied to man, means the friend and since the friendship in question swith God it comes to mean, in practic, “the saint” This sanctity ay be ascribed in the ist instance tothe individual sat, ‘ut its source and substance isthe holiness proper to God alone. This holy axis connecting the sint and God provides the foundation fo the argument that follows ‘ets return to the idea of the light nd lil ofthe Word, and pe thatthe process of emerging fom the darkness of non-existence ito the ight off is explicitly identified in the Qur'an with the principe or the function of wale: ‘God isthe Wal of those who belew. He brings them out of darkness ita ight (:257) Now the Prophet shares inthis funtion, and he does so nat only in is capacity sa prophet bat ko in his capacity a5 a saint. He is refered to not only asa rus and {8 nab, but also a8 a wal, and itis this name that more directly alludes ‘othe dimension of divine identity within the Prophet. Fr nether ns sul not nab are names of God, and indeed both imply distinctiveness, the one “sent” being distinet from the one “sending” The wali onthe jer hand, pertains toa divine quali that oflove—ather than ipl “friendship® Through lve the duality implied by fendship is consum- ‘mated in union.” ‘The Prophet, as wal participates inthe walay of God, Let ws note the way in which the Quran refers this participation nthe lumina. ing function of God: "0 mankind, prot has now cone to you from yout Lord; We have sen dowa to you a maalfs Ligh” (4174). Whit this Light can ofcourse be identified withthe Quran, such an identi ‘ation doesnot exclude te possiblity ofimerpretng the Light tobe the Prophet himself also. For in anther verse, the Lights described as one thing, and the Que'an another: "Nove there hath come unto you aight rom God anda danfyingscriptare (5:15; emphasis added), ‘The universal function of the Prophet i perhaps most clearly ex resed inthe following verse: “We sent thee not except asa merey to the whole of creation” (21107). As we saw above, Ibn al-Arabi asserts thatthe Mubammadan Light snot identical with God nor i ed Se Mel Choi, Sl the Sit: rapt Sata i the Dosti of in Ara (Cambri Elam Texts Sec, yp) fot a hari cus ofthe nto mals ot jt int dain eb a ra bts Inthe suf adios genera, Interseligions Hermeneutics ferent ‘fom Him, and thit what God makes manifest in the cosmos 's already contained in undifferentiated mode by this Muhawmadan Reality, Kashani, commenting upon this pinciple, makes the parallel withthe Johanne conception ofthe Logos striking when he writes that the Prophet Mohammad was the fist self determination with which the Essence atthe level of Unity determined itll before any other forms of self- determination. Soll the infinite slf-determinations be: came sctalized through im... (he Mukarmmadan Light] comprises inte al these sel-deterninatons without leaving anything. He sin this sense unique in the whole world of Being. thee is above hin only the Essence athe evel fits absolute Unity» ‘One should now sk, o what extent tismystcal scription of vine reatvty tothe Prophet justified in terms ofthe Islamic revelation? Few fal it should be stesed ha the Propet himself referred to his ésseatil realty i clearly prehuran—and thus suprahuman—ters ‘was a Prophet when Adam was ail between water and lay™ One ‘is reminded here ofthe saying of Jesus in fol, 858:"Before Abrahar| teas ana alo ofthis saying of Jesus to the Father: “Thou lovedst tne before the foundation ofthe woe” (John, 17:2); a well as this statement i the Nicene Creed "bepoten bythe Father before al ges" Inall these sayings there ian allusion to 2 mode of being which s a ‘once beyond ime and beyond the human condition a mode of being therefore et one withthe divine nature and yet distinc from the pure “About: "the Word was with God” expresses the spec of distinction; “the Word was God the aspect of unity. "The Mehammadan Light isn eseenee nothing other than the Light of God streaming forth nto creation, tis refected in the miror ofthe pore soul ofthe Prophet, who isthe Perfect Man (a-fnsan akan. ‘According to ‘Abd al Karim alii, with whom ths doctrine is strongly associated inthe Sef tradition, “Know thatthe Names ofthe Divine 23. Qos by Tis Sufi and Tai A Compan Sy of Key Php Cons Beta Uy Calor Pres 989) 37 Ths eg ound in vata esos, the mos song aentt f wich as alms The op was sewn Bc Pog Te epi Tes Adam arene tanto Sc ih Manag and Hal okt pin ee Ot a -Pe Essen an lp —Aapect oft Concept of ‘Nr unas Te ral Sadr 9p 62119 a compekesv op roan in Sen Sanda comets Light Upon Ligh Essence and Qualities pertain principally tain principally tothe Perfect Man. there fore he fi relation to God, what the mirrors tothe person elected therein. For God only contemplates tis own Names and Qualities in the Perfect Man” nis form, therefore, qua rection itis human and ud rection, itis human and rete, but In is substance and soure tis divine and uncreated. This theme of ‘the unity ofthe light of the Prophet and that of God is encountered fequentlyin popular devotion to the Prophet, aswell as in the neta Physies of Sufism. For example, the Persian Suf poet ‘Abd al-Rahman Jami (4.1492) addresses the Prophet s follows: God made you the miro th Essence ‘Aookng hss fo th nique sence, nag hf the Prophet aie nts ofthe iden From Twas reas” your tse mtr hat bas cer “our pein isthe mina of he ungualfed Ligh” The “iden esd ek aot whi uel Gd SF tnolege—in nite le on ne es ton in spa-maniomods thin Hom Benen koulaigrbtto know Himstn itn mos iinand as ‘ard manana ditt orders she th hdr apc ofthe ears othe nnn Cas it the "ws spc of the mane enc a mae ‘hat een ‘Tein manta odio jl is ache very hen othe megs othe shoo a 21 Art the wl doce of tds of Gi oF ‘snl ingens tala cme tes Fas aia The cpr ed The ign ofthe Ws of Divinity in the Word of Adam” begins: . es Aida Karmal Kat DMUs ears ini Casi See's (Age Donn ssp eae iin Act nnd ad Mrinal Mange he etn opto ee ign Cit Cae «(So inne apie ol Intereligions Hermeneutics the Real willed glorified be He, in virtue of His Beautifl Names, ‘which are inmerable to see their identies—i you so wih you can Say to see His Identity a cormprehensive being that comprises the whol afr insofar as iis possessed of existence and His Mystery is ‘manifest to Himself through it For the vision a ting has of self in self snot ike the vision a thing as ofl in another thing, which vl be ikea mie foe it” “The inner dimension of the “Names” of God, refering to His Qualities, ca here be een as analogous to the “jewels” of the Hidden “Treasure ofthe Essence, which God loved to know, nota they are in| ‘themslves, for that He lead possesses, infinitely, erally. and insu pramaniest mode; rather He loved to ave them knoven in distinctive ‘mode, within ratty. Thus, He wished toate a rellecton of Himsel| “in anotec which wil serve asa Finite mieroreeflecting His own in finite perfetions. This “ieror” i the key image for comprehending thenaare ofthe Light that ows int existence, as existence Tiss the function performed by the Prophet, as Perfect or Universal Man. ‘One observes withthe help of thew metaphysical principles both 4 spelfcstion and a universlzation: the Prophe’s sol is the perc, ‘ansaid mirror in which the fullness ofthe divine Nature is reflected bbutby vitae ofbeing Universal Man, this isnot the excusve preserve ofthe Prophet Muhammad, Rather, given that “he” was a Prophet in the pee-Adamic state, what sn question hee isnt the particular in vidual Muhamed b, ‘Abd Alla, bat the prophetic nature as such, snd tis natre is manifeted by all the Messengers who in respect of this function, ae equal, Par ofthe Muslim credo, a expressed in the (Qurn, ie to assert the nondifeentitin of the Messengers: The Messenger believeth in that which ath been revealed unto him from bis Lord, and [so do] the believers. Everyone believeth in GGod and His angels and His scriptures and His Messengers—we make ‘no distinction between any of His Messengers” (2:28). The Mehammadan Tight thus embraces all the Prophets, while being consummated nthe last ofthe Prophets, one of whose functions is, precisely to manifest the universality ofthis Light, and the inad- rmisbility of restricting ito any one of ls saving manifestations the Prophet is mercy to the whale of cretion” at one with the mercy 2. igh Ta ington of Wo “Light Upon Light of God which “embraces al things Lik the Quran thi Light “confi” and as further radiance ol previous prophet ma. fetations ofthe Light. As regu the parle quale mane by the Propet the, shold besser thatthe come of hse ‘taltiesisnethingbet dst. For the dvne Quasar eleced in the Prophet in jst the sie way that ance! is reece thin the sce ofa mio. none esp the mimo tht rings the reflection the abet efeced dos not change: remain what ts dbs notte exe anne hr thant which ders Go emer presence: it simply be preset befor the rua he iio does the rest Tiss nage sresed byte Sts to ove the

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