Ruh al-Ma'ani on Ta-Ha 20:55

55 (From it We created you and into it), meaning from the earth. (We shall return you), meaning during the creation of your father Adam, peace be upon him, from it. Every individual of the human race has a share in his creation, for his wondrous nature was not limited to his own self, but was rather a template containing the nature of all individuals of the species, folded in a manner of structural beauty that entails the flowing of its effects upon all. Thus, his creation from it was a creation for all from it. It is said: The meaning is that We created your bodies from the nutfa (seminal fluid) generated from food, which is generated from the earth, through intermediaries. Abd ibn Humayd and Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani that he said: The angel goes and takes from the earth of the place where the person will be buried, then sprinkles it upon the nutfa, and thus he is created from that soil and that nutfa. (And into it We shall return you), through death and the separation of the parts. This—as well as what follows—is based on the common case, given that among people there are those whose bodies do not decay, such as the Prophets, peace be upon them. The preference for the word fi (in) over ila (to) is to indicate the prolonged stability within it. (And from it We shall bring you forth once more) by composing your fragmented parts, which are mixed with the soil, into the previous form, and the return of souls from their residence to them. This bringing forth is considered "once more" in light of the fact that their creation from the earth was a bringing forth from it, even if it was not in the manner of the second time. Or, tara (once) in the original language is a noun for a single instance, meaning a single occurrence, then it was applied to every single action of the renewed actions, as mentioned in the word al-marra (time). How subtle is the mention of His saying, exalted is He: (From it We created you), etc., after mentioning plants and bringing them forth from the earth; for it encompasses every bringing forth of subtle bodies from dense soil, and the emergence of the dead is the most similar thing to the emergence of plants.

From the Perspective of Allusion in the Verses (Ta-Ha) O Pure One (Ta), guiding us to ourselves (Ha)! Or, O you who circle the Kaaba of Oneness in the sanctuary of Identity, guiding pure souls to the lofty stations. It is said: Ta—because its numerical value (abjad) is nine, and if one sums the numbers contained within it (i.e., one, two, three, and so on up to nine), it reaches forty-five, an allusion to Adam, for the values of his letters are likewise. Ha—because its numerical value is five, and the numbers contained within it reach fifteen, an allusion to Eve (Hawa) without the hamza. The allusion by the sum of both indicates that he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is the father of creation and its mother; it is as if it were said: O you from whom creation was formed. Ibn al-Farid, may his secret be sanctified, alluded to this in the tongue of the Muhammadan Reality: "Though I am the son of Adam in form, I have a meaning from him that bears witness to my fatherhood." Sheikh ‘Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, may mercy be upon him, also said regarding this: "Ta-Ha, the Prophet; from his light all creation was formed."

It is said: The numerical value of Ta-Ha is fourteen, which is an allusion to the rank of the full moon (Badriyyah); it is as if it were said: O full moon of the sky of the realm of possibility. (We have not sent down the Quran to you to cause you distress, but as a reminder to him who fears), meaning: only to remind him who fears of the days of union that existed before the souls were attached to the bodies, and to inform them that they shall attain their likes so that their souls may find comfort and their spirits may find rest, or to remind them of those days so that they may long for them, shed tears for them, and strive to obtain what causes their return. May Allah bless the one who said: "May Allah water the days and nights of ours that have passed, for from their memory tears have flowed. Is there a return one day in time, and is there a return for me to the land of the Beloved?"

It is said: "He who fears" refers to the scholars, for His saying, exalted is He: (It is only those among His servants who have knowledge who fear Allah). Since knowledge is a place for potential arrogance, pride, and the like, it is fitting that its possessor be reminded of the greatness of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, so that this might be a wall for him, preventing any of that mentioned from infiltrating. (The Most Gracious [ar-Rahman] rose over the Throne). The Throne is a great body that Allah, the Most High, created—as it is said—from a luminous, shining light, and He made it the place for the light of the Simple Intellect, which is the sunrise of the lights of Pre-Eternity, and honored it with the attribution of the "Rising" (Istawa) which cannot be comprehended. It is said: It was created from four lights of different colors: the lights of Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, and Allahu Akbar. Hence it is called the "Atlas" (the Unclad/Total), and the group appearing in our time, called the Kashfiyyah, has adopted this view.

Some Sufis mentioned that the Throne is an allusion to the heart of the believer, to which the famous Throne relates as a mustard seed relates to the wilderness—nay, as a drop relates to the surrounding ocean. It is the place of the gaze of the Truth, the platform of His manifestation, the landing place of His command, and the descent of His proximity. In Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din by the Proof of Islam al-Ghazali: "Allah, the Most High, said: 'Neither My heaven nor My earth could contain Me, but the heart of My believing, gentle, peaceful servant contained Me.'" Meaning the calm and tranquil one. In al-Risha by Sadr al-Din al-Qunawi, may his secret be sanctified, it is in the wording: "Neither My earth nor My heaven contained Me, but the heart of My believing, pious, pure, gentle servant contained Me."

This "heart" is not the pine-shaped lump of flesh, for in the view of every rational person, it is too despicable in terms of form to be the place of His secret, Mighty and Majestic, let alone to contain Him, glory be to Him, or to be the target of His high gaze and the seat of His rising. Even if it is called a "heart," that naming is only by way of metaphor, and the naming of the attribute and the carrier by the name of the described and the carried. Rather, the human heart is the reality that brings together divine attributes and states and the characteristics of the created, spiritual and natural. That reality arises from the social structure between divine and created attributes and truths, and what these two roots contain of morals and necessary qualities, and what is born between them after discipline and purification. The pine-shaped heart is the house for the descent of the external image from among what we mentioned, which is the image of the heart’s reality. The meaning of its "containing" the Truth, Majestic is He—according to what is in Maslak al-Wasat al-Dani—is its being a comprehensive manifestation of the Names and Attributes in a way that does not contradict the transcendence of the Truth, glory be to Him, from indwelling, union, division, the existence of the eternal in the created, and other such things that are impossible for Him, Majestic is His majesty.

However, it must be known that although this report has become widespread among the Sufis, may their secrets be sanctified, the hadith scholars have followed it up. Al-‘Iraqi said: "I have seen no basis for it." Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "It is mentioned in the Isra’iliyyat (Israelite traditions), and there is no known chain of narration from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)." He seems to have pointed, by mentioning the Isra’iliyyat, to what Imam Ahmad recorded in al-Zuhd from Wahb ibn Munabbih, who said: "Allah, the Most High, opened the heavens for Ezekiel until he looked at the Throne. Ezekiel said: 'Glory be to You, how Great You are, O Lord!' Allah, the Most High, said: 'The heavens and the earth were too weak to contain Me, but the heart of My believing, peaceful, gentle servant contained Me.'"

Yes, there is that which bears witness to it. The scholar Shams ibn al-Qayyim said in Shifa’ al-‘Alil, textually: "In the Musnad and elsewhere from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): 'The hearts are the vessels of Allah, the Most High, on His earth; the most beloved of them to Him are the firmest, the most refined, and the clearest.'" Al-Tabarani narrated from the hadith of Abu ‘Anbasa al-Khawlani, in marfu’ form: "Verily, Allah, the Most High, has vessels from the earth, and the vessels of your Lord are the hearts of His righteous servants; the most beloved of them to Him are the gentlest and most refined." Even though this hadith has Baqiyyah ibn al-Walid in its chain—who is a mudallis (concealer)—he explicitly declared the hadith narration here. From the combination of the two hadiths, four qualities are known for the heart most beloved to Him, the Most High: Gentleness, which is for accepting the Truth; Firmness, which is for preserving it (so the intended meaning is a quality that combines with gentleness); Clarity and Refinement, which are for viewing Him. His rising, the Most High, upon the Throne is with the attribute of Rahmaniyyah (All-Merciful) rather than Rahimiyyah (Most Merciful) to indicate that everyone has a share of His vast mercy, Majestic is He.

(And if you speak aloud, He knows the secret and what is even more hidden). It is said: The secret (sirr) is a matter latent in the heart, like the latency of fire in green wood, where the will stirs it; neither the angel, nor the devil, nor the soul feels it, nor does the intellect perceive it. The more hidden (akhfa) is what is in the depths of that.

Among some Sufis, the Secret (sirr) is a subtlety between the heart and the spirit; it is the mine of spiritual mysteries. The Hidden (khafi) is a subtlety between the spirit and the Divine Presence; it is the landing place of divine lights. The detailed explanation of this is in its proper place. Some people have used this verse as evidence against the legitimacy of speaking aloud in dhikr (remembrance). The truth is that it is legitimate under its conditions. They differed on whether it is better than hidden dhikr or if hidden dhikr is better than it. The truth in that for which there is no text demanding openness, and for which there is no text demanding concealment, is that the superiority varies according to people, states, and times. Thus, speaking aloud may be better than concealment at one time, and concealment better at another.

(And has there come to you the story of Moses? When he saw a fire). Sheikh Ibrahim al-Kurani, may mercy be upon him, said in Tanbih al-‘Uqul: "That fire was the place of manifestation for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and His manifestation, glory be to Him, therein was in observation of wisdom, for it was the objective of Moses, peace be upon him." He argued for this with a hadith he narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both, which we will mention, God willing, at His saying: (So when he came to it, he was called: "Blessed is whoever is in the fire and whoever is around it"). (So remove your sandals): Abandon focusing on the worldly life and the hereafter, and walk with a heart completely immersed in the knowledge of Allah, the Most High, and do not turn to anything other than Him, glory be to Him. (You are in the sacred valley, Tuwa): It is a valley of the holiness of the Majesty of Allah, and the transcendence of His Honor, mighty is His greatness. It is said: The sandals are an allusion to the two premises from which the argument is constructed, for the intellect reaches the objective through them, like sandals that a person wears to reach his goal by walking in them. It is as if it were said: Do not focus on the two premises and abandon logical demonstration, for you are in the valley of the knowledge of Allah, filled with the traces of His divinity, glory be to Him. (So worship Me): This command was brought forward to indicate the great nobility of servitude. He then followed it with His saying, glory be to Him: (And establish prayer for My remembrance), because prayer is one of the hallmarks of servitude and the ladders to the Divine Presence.

(And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?). An intimacy from Him, the Most High, towards him, peace be upon him, for he was astonished when the Truth, glory be to Him, spoke to him about matters concerning divinity. He asked him about something in his hand, about which he would hardly be mistaken, so that he might speak and answer, and thus his astonishment would fade. It is said: The believer is treated similarly after his death; when he dies, he reaches the presence of the Possessor of Majesty, and he is overcome by what overcomes him, so He asks him about the faith he held in his hand in the world, and he would hardly be mistaken about it; when he recalls it, what overcame him fades away. It is said: When Allah, the Most High, made him know the perfection of divinity, He wanted to make him know the deficiency of humanity, so He asked him about the benefits of the staff. He mentioned some of them, and Allah, the Most High, made him know that within it is what is of greater benefit than what he mentioned, as an alert that speech is insufficient for knowing the attributes of the thing present. If it were not for divine assistance, how could he reach the knowledge of the most sublime and greatest of things? (So he cast it, and behold, it was a serpent moving). In this is an allusion to the appearance of the effect of Majesty, and for that reason, Moses, peace be upon him, was afraid. So He, glory be to Him, said: "Take it and do not fear." This fear is from the perfection of knowledge, for he did not feel secure from the plan of Allah, the Most High, even if reassurance had preceded from Him, glory be to Him. In some traditions: "O Moses, do not feel secure from My plan until you cross the Sirat (Bridge)."

It is said: His fear was from missing the counted benefits, and that is why he explained the prohibition with His saying, the Most High: (We shall restore it to its first state). This is ignorance of the station of Moses, peace be upon him. Likewise is the claim that when he saw the horrifying matter, he fled, whereas he had not reached the station of (So flee to Allah); had he reached it, he would not have fled. Also the claim that perhaps when the station of conversation was attained, amazement remained in his heart, so Allah, the Most High, showed him that he was still in the deficiency of possibility and had not departed from the realm of humanity, and that victory and steadfastness are only from Allah alone.

(And press your hand to your side; it will come out white without disease). He, glory be to Him, wanted to show him a self-referential sign after He had shown him, peace be upon him, an external sign, as He, the Most High, said: (We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within their own selves). This is from His care, glory be to His majesty. They have mentioned in this story points and allusions, among them: when He, the Most High, pointed to the staff and the right hand with His saying: (And what is that in your right hand), a dazzling proof and an overwhelming miracle occurred in each of them. One of them, being inanimate, became an animal, and the other, being dense, became luminous and subtle. Moreover, He, the Most High, looks three hundred and sixty times every day at the heart of the servant, so what wonder is it if his frozen, dark heart turns into a luminous life? Among them: the staff had prepared itself by the right of the right hand of Moses, peace be upon him, for life and became a serpent, so how could the heart of the believer, which is between two fingers of the fingers of the Most Gracious, not prepare itself for life and become alive? Among them: the staff, by a single sign, became such that it swallowed the magic of the magicians, so the heart of the believer is more entitled, with the support of the Lord's gaze every day multiple times, to become such that it swallows the magic of the soul that commands evil. Among them: that His saying, the Most High, first: (Remove your sandals) is an allusion to emptying and purifying the tablet of the conscience from all others, and what follows are allusions to adorning and obtaining that which is worthy to be obtained. He, glory be to Him, alluded to the knowledge of the Origin with His saying, the Most High: (Indeed, I am Allah); to the knowledge of the Middle with His saying, Mighty and Majestic is He: (So worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance)—and in this is an allusion to physical and spiritual actions—and to the knowledge of the Return with His saying, the Most High: (Indeed, the Hour is coming). Among them: that He opened the address with His saying, Mighty is the Speaker: (And I have chosen you), which is the ultimate kindness, and concluded the speech with His saying, Majestic is He: (So do not let yourself be diverted from it… lest you perish), and this is intimidation as an alert that His mercy preceded His anger and that the servant must conduct his journey on the feet of both hope and fear. Among them: that Moses, peace be upon him, had something on his foot, which was the sandal, and something in his hand, which was the staff; feet are tools of escape and the hand is a tool of seeking, so he was commanded to abandon what was in them as an alert that as long as the traveler is in the station of seeking and escaping, he is preoccupied with himself and seeking his own share, so he does not attain the perfection of immersion in the ocean of divine knowledge. In this is that Moses, peace be upon him, despite the loftiness of his station and the height of his rank, could not reach the Presence of Majesty until he removed the sandals and cast the staff; so you, with a thousand loads of sins, how can you reach His side and His Presence, glory be to His majesty?

These verses were problematized from the aspect that they indicate Allah, the Most High, addressed Moses, peace be upon him, without an intermediary, whereas He addressed our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) through Gabriel, peace be upon him, which entails the superiority of the Interlocutor (Kalim) over the Beloved (Habib), peace be upon both. The answer is that He, Majestic is His majesty, also addressed our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) without an intermediary on the Night of Ascension (Mi'raj). The furthest point is that He, the Most High, addressed Moses, peace be upon him, at the beginning of his mission without an intermediary, and addressed His Beloved, peace be upon him, at the beginning of his mission with an intermediary, and mere priority does not establish superiority. Moreover, His address to His most honored Beloved (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) without an intermediary was with the unveiling of the veil and his witnessing of Him, peace be upon him, in a manner that did not occur for Moses, peace be upon him. By this, what is imagined regarding the delay of the address without an intermediary after the beginning of the mission is reconciled. Look at the difference between His saying, the Most High, about our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): (The sight did not swerve, nor did it transgress), and His saying about Moses, peace be upon him: (He said, "It is my staff...") etc.; you will see the clear difference between the Beloved and the Interlocutor, although each has the rank of honor.

Some mentioned that in the verses there is that which intimates the difference between them, peace be upon them, from another aspect: Moses, peace be upon him, used to lean on the staff, while the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to rely on the grace and mercy of Allah, the Most High, saying with his nation: Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal-wakil (Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs). Therefore, it was revealed regarding him: (Sufficient for you is Allah and whoever follows you of the believers), meaning: and sufficient is He for whoever follows you. Also, he, peace be upon him, began with the interests of his own self in his saying: (I lean upon it), then the interests of his flock by saying: (And I beat down leaves with it for my sheep), whereas the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not occupy himself except with correcting the affair of his nation: "O Allah, guide my people, for they do not know." Thus, Moses, peace be upon him, says on the Day of Resurrection: "My soul, my soul," and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) says: "My nation, my nation." This is taken from the words of the Imam, but there is no difference except a very slight one. By my life, it is not fitting to follow him in such speech, as is not hidden from those of understanding. I only conveyed it to alert that one should not be deceived by it; we seek refuge in Allah, the Most High, from abandonment.

(My Lord, expand for me my chest). He did not mention, peace be upon him, with what He should expand his chest, and there are probabilities in it. Some people said: He, the Most High, mentioned ten things and described them as light:

His own Essence, glory be to Him: (Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth).
The Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): (There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book).
The Book: (And follow the light which has been sent down with him).
Faith: (They want to extinguish the light of Allah).
The justice of Allah, the Most High: (And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord).
The moon: (And made the moon a light).
The day: (And He made the darkness and the light).
The clear signs: (Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light).
The Prophets, peace be upon them: (Light upon light).
Knowledge: (The likeness of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp).

So it is as if Moses, peace be upon him, said first: My Lord, expand my chest with the knowledge of the lights of the Majesty of Your Pride. Second: My Lord, expand my chest with the acquisition of the morals of Your Messengers and Prophets. Third: My Lord, expand my chest with the following of Your revelation and the compliance with Your command and prohibition. Fourth: My Lord, expand my chest with the light of faith and certainty in Your divinity. Fifth: My Lord, expand my chest with the insight into the mysteries of Your justice in Your decree and judgment. Sixth: My Lord, expand my chest with moving from the light of Your sun and moon to the lights of the Majesty of Your Might, as Abraham, peace be upon him, did. Seventh: My Lord, expand my chest from contemplating Your day and night to contemplating the day of Your grace and the night of Your overpowering. Eighth: My Lord, expand my chest with the insight into the collections of Your signs and the focal points of Your clear proofs in Your earth and heavens. Ninth: My Lord, expand my chest to be a truthful successor to the preceding Prophets and similar to them in submission to the decree of the Lord of the worlds. Tenth: My Lord, expand my chest by making the lamp of faith like the niche in which is the lamp.

It is not hidden what interdependency exists between most of what was mentioned, and how some suffice for others. He also said: Expanding the chest is an expression for igniting the light in the heart until it becomes like a lamp. It is not hidden that the lamp’s kindling requires seven things: the flint, the stone, the friction, the sulfur, the lamp-stand, the wick, and the oil. The flint is the flint of striving (And those who strive for Us); the stone is the stone of supplication (Call upon your Lord in humility and privately); the friction is forbidding the passion (And restrained the soul from passion); the sulfur is turning to Allah (And turn in repentance to your Lord); the lamp-stand is patience (Seek help through patience and prayer); the wick is gratitude (If you are grateful, I will surely increase you); and the oil is contentment (And be patient for the decision of your Lord), meaning: be content with His decree. Then, when these tools are ready, do not rely on them, but you should seek the goal from the Presence of your Lord, glory be to Him, saying: (My Lord, expand for me my chest), and there you will hear: "You have been given your request, O Moses."

Then, this spiritual light is better than the physical sun for many reasons. First: the sun is veiled by clouds, while the sun of knowledge is not veiled by the seven heavens (To Him ascends good speech). Second: the sun sets at night, while the sun of knowledge does not set at night (Indeed, the rising of the night is harder and more suitable for speech / And those who seek forgiveness before dawn / Glory be to Him who took His servant by night). The night for the lovers is a veil; I wish its times would last. Third: the sun perishes (When the sun is wrapped up), while knowledge does not perish (Its root is firm, and its branch is in the sky / Peace, a word from a Merciful Lord). Fourth: if the sun is met by the moon, it is eclipsed, while the sun of knowledge, which is "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah," if not joined by the moon of prophethood, which is "I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," the light does not reach the realm of the limbs. Fifth: the sun darkens the face, while knowledge whitens the faces (On the day when some faces will be white). Sixth: the sun scorches (sad'), while knowledge ascends (tas'ad). Seventh: the sun burns, while knowledge prevents from burning ("Go back, O believer, for your light has extinguished my flames"*). Eighth: the sun’s benefit is in this world, while knowledge’s benefit is in both abodes (We will surely cause him to live a good life / And We will surely give them their reward according to the best of what they used to do). Ninth: the sun is superior in form, inferior in meaning, and divine knowledge is the opposite. Tenth: the sun falls upon the friend and the enemy, while knowledge is attained only by the friend. Eleventh: the sun knows the states of creation, while knowledge brings the heart to the Creator.

Since the expansion of the chest, which is the first rank of spiritualities, is more noble than the highest ranks of physicalities, Moses, peace be upon him, began by seeking it, saying: (My Lord, expand for me my chest). The sign of the expansion of the chest and the entry of divine light into it is turning away from the abode of deception and desiring the abode of eternity. They likened the chest to a fortress, making the first a trench for it and the second a wall; whenever the trench is great and the wall is fortified, the army of Satan—from passion, pride, amazement, miserliness, evil suspicion of Allah, the Most High, and other blameworthy traits—is unable to act. Whenever they are not so, the army enters, and then the kingdom is confined to the palace of the heart, and the matter becomes narrow for him.

They distinguished between the Chest (Sadr), the Heart (Qalb), the Inner-Heart (Fu'ad), and the Core (Lubb): the chest is the residence of Islam (So is one whose chest Allah has expanded to Islam?), the heart is the residence of faith (He has endeared faith to you and has made it pleasing in your hearts / Those—He has written faith in their hearts), the inner-heart is the residence of witnessing (The inner-heart did not lie about what it saw), and the core is the station of Oneness (Only those of core-intellect remember), meaning those who have exited the husk of metaphorical existence and remained with the core of real existence. Moses, peace be upon him, only asked for the expansion of the chest, not the heart, because the expansion of the chest entails the expansion of the heart, not the other way around. Also, the expansion of the chest is like a premise for the expansion of the heart, and this allusion suffices. When the Master, glory be to Him, knows that he is a seeker of the premise, it does not befit His generosity to deny him the result. Also, he, peace be upon him, observed politeness in the request, so he restricted himself to seeking the lesser, and thus he was given the goal; so it was said: (You have been given your request, O Moses). But when he was bold in seeking the Vision, it was said to him: (You will not see Me). It is not hidden what is between the saying of Moses, peace be upon him, to his Lord: (My Lord, expand for me my chest) and the saying of the Lord to His Beloved (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): (Have We not expanded for you your chest?). From it, it is known that the Interlocutor, peace be upon him, is one who wants (murid) and the Beloved (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is wanted (murad), and the difference is as clear as the morning.

The difference becomes clearer in that Moses, peace be upon him, in the divine presence sought for himself, while our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), when it was said to him there: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet," he said: "Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah." The Imam has lengthened the discussion in this verse in a manner of this sort, so return to it if you desire.

(And untie the knot from my tongue, so they may understand my speech). It is as if he, peace be upon him, asked for the ability to express divine truths with a clear phrase, for the objective is rugged, and one hardly finds a phrase to facilitate it so that its listener may be secure from stumbling. Hence, you see many people have gone astray through the phrases of some of the great Sufis in explaining divine mysteries. It is said: He, peace be upon him, asked for the untying of the knot of shyness, for he was shy to address the enemy of Allah, the Most High, with the tongue with which he addressed the Truth, glory be to His majesty. Perhaps he meant by the "added speech" the speech by which there is guidance for the servants, for the ambition of the gnostics does not seek speech and conversation with people in that which does not result in guidance for them. Yes, speech as such is a great virtue and a massive gift, which is why He, the Most High, said: (The Most Merciful, taught the Quran, created man, taught him the clear speech) without an intermediary conjunction. From ‘Ali, may Allah honor his face: "What is man, if not for the tongue, except a fashioned image or a neglected beast?" And he, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "A man is hidden under the fold of his tongue, not his garment." And he, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Man is his two smallest parts: his heart and his tongue." Zuhayr said: "The tongue of the youth is one half, and the other half is his heart; nothing remains except the image of flesh and blood." Among people are those who praised silence because it is safer: "The youth dies from a stumble of his tongue, but one does not die from a stumble of his foot." In Nawabigh al-Kalim: "Your mouth should not strike your nape." The fairness is that silence in itself is not a virtue because it is a privative matter, and speech in itself is a virtue, but it may become a vice for accidental reasons. The truth is what he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) indicated by his saying: "May Allah, the Most High, have mercy on a man who spoke what is good, so he gained, or remained silent, so he was safe."

Mentioned in the aspect of his not seeking perfect eloquence is that it is the share of the Beloved, peace be upon him, for he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was the most eloquent of those who spoke the language of the dad (Arabic). So it was not for him to seek what was already his. (And appoint for me a minister from my family, Aaron, my brother. Increase through him my strength and let him share in my affair). In this is an allusion to the virtue of cooperation in religion, for it is one of the morals of the Messengers, upon them all be the prayers of Allah, the Most High, and peace. The conventional ministry between people is praiseworthy if the minister sows in its land what he will not regret at the time of his harvest before the King of kings. In it is also an allusion to the virtue of mediating with good for those who deserve it, especially if they are among relatives.

And whoever prevents those deserving has committed injustice. In Moses, peace be upon him, being given precedence—even though he was younger—over Aaron, peace be upon him—even though he was the elder—is evidence that merit is not subject to age. Allah, the Most High, singles out for His grace whom He wills. (Indeed, You have ever been, of us, Seeing). In concluding the supplications with this is a form of good manners with Allah, the Most High, that is not hidden, and it is one of the best means with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. From the effects of that is the answering of the supplication. (And We had already bestowed favor upon you another time). A reminder to him, peace be upon him, of that which increases his certainty. In it is an allusion that He, the Most High, does not turn back after acceptance and does not deprive after bestowing favor. From here it is said: "When faith enters the heart, it is secure from being taken away, and no one returned who returned except from the path." (And I chose you for Myself). I singled you out for Me through abstraction (tajrid), so nothing preoccupies you from Me. (And you remained years among the people of Madyan). Pointed by this is his service to Shu‘ayb, peace be upon him; that is a training from Him, the Most High, for him by the companionship of the Messengers so that he might be adorned with their morals and embellished with their manners, fitting for the Presence. And for the companionship of the righteous, there is great benefit in the view of the Sufis, and conversely the companionship of the wicked. (Then you came at the destined time, O Moses). That is the time of the perfection of preparation and the time of the mission of the Prophets, peace be upon them, which is the time of their reaching forty years. Whoever reaches forty and his good does not overcome his evil, let him mourn for his own self and prepare for the Fire. (Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed). Exceeded the limit in disobedience until he claimed divinity; that is the effect of the intoxication of Overpowering (Qahr), which is a description of the soul that commands evil, and opposite to it is the intoxication of Kindness (Lutf), which is a description of the spirit; from it arises shath (ecstatic utterance) and the claim of self-centeredness. They said: Its possessor is excused; otherwise, there would be no difference between al-Hallaj, for example, and Pharaoh. People of jealousy for Allah, the Most High, say: "There is no difference." (And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah]). In this is an allusion to teaching the manner of guidance. Al-Nahrajuri said: "The command for that is because he was good to Moses, peace be upon him, in the beginning of the matter, and he did not requite him." (From it We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will bring you forth another time). An allusion to the structures and cages of the birds of the souls, otherwise the souls themselves are from the realm of the Kingdom (Malakut) and they have shone upon these phantoms. (And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord). And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

Some of the people of interpretation have interpreted this story and the verses according to what is in the souls, and it is a path we have abandoned, except for a little. And Allah, the Most High, is the Guide to the straight path.

Tafsir of Ta-Ha 20:55

Ruh al-Ma'ani