Or as darknesses in...

[Or as darknesses] is connected as a conjunction to [the phrase] "like a mirage." It is said that the word "or" is used to categorize the state of their deeds. It is permissible to interpret it as an absolute [categorization] with respect to two times; for [their deeds] are like a mirage in the Hereafter, in terms of their lack of benefit, and like darknesses in the world, in terms of being devoid of the light of Truth. This [latter interpretation] is restricted to the world due to the Almighty’s saying: "And he for whom Allah has not made a light, for him there is no light," for it is manifest regarding the guidance and success specific to it [the world]. The former [interpretation] is specific to the Hereafter due to the Almighty’s saying: "And he finds..." etc. He placed the conditions of the Hereafter first—as they are greater and more important—because of its connection to what relates to them in His, the Exalted’s, saying: "That He may recompense them," etc., then He mentioned the conditions of the world to complete them.

It is also permissible to reverse this; the intent of the first [comparison] being the similitude of their deeds to a mirage in the world at the time of death, and the intent of the second being their similitude to darknesses in the Resurrection, as in the Hadith: "Oppression is darknesses on the Day of Resurrection." This constitutes an escalation appropriate for the sequence of occurrence, although this is not the case for the reason you have heard. It is said that it is for the purpose of diversification; this is because after He illustrated their deeds—upon which they relied with the strongest reliance and boasted in every valley and gathering—with the aforementioned condition of the mirage, He illustrated their ugly deeds—in which there is no shred of goodness by which the deluded are deceived—with the mentioned darknesses. Al-Jurjani claimed that the intent here is to compare their disbelief only, but this is as you can see. The apparent [meaning], based on diversification, is that what is intended by "deeds" in the Almighty’s saying, "their deeds," is that which encompasses both types.

An objection was raised that the Almighty’s saying, "And he finds Allah near him," rejects this, based on its inclusion in the similitude. For although it is conceded that their good deeds do not benefit them along with disbelief, there is no disaster in their consequence, as is signaled by His saying, "And he finds," etc. It was answered that there is nothing therein indicating that the cause of the punishment is the good deeds; rather, he finds that the punishment is due to the ugliness of their deeds. However, they were all mentioned to clarify that some of them were rendered as scattered dust, and for some, one is punished. It is permissible that it is for the purpose of choosing between the similitudes: either [their] good deeds—or [all their deeds] absolutely—are [like] the mirage, because they are void and of no benefit, and [their ugly deeds are] the aforementioned darknesses because they are devoid of the light of Truth. Al-Kirmani chose this. It was objected that Al-Rad—like others—mentioned that [the conjunction "or"] is only used for choosing in the case of a request [command/prohibition]. It was answered that this is a popular belief, but many [scholars] have held that it is not exclusive to that, such as Malik and Al-Zamakhshari, and its occurrence in similitudes is frequent. Regardless, there is no implied addition in the speech. Abu Ali Al-Farisi said: There is an implied addition, the estimation being "or like that which has darknesses" (ka-dhi zulumat), and it is indicated by what follows in His, the Exalted’s, saying: "when he puts out his hand." The similitude here may be for the deeds, on the pattern of the previous similitude, and estimated as "or like the deeds of one who has darknesses," or it may be for the disbelievers, and estimated as "or they are like those who have darknesses." All of these are contrary to the apparent meaning. The matter of the pronoun will become clear to you, if Allah the Exalted wills.

Sufyan bin Husayn recited "or like darknesses" (aw ka-zulumatin) with a fathah on the waw. In Al-Bahr, this is explained as making it a waw of conjunction preceded by the hamzah, which is for the confirmation of a similitude devoid of pure questioning. It is said it is the "or" which is in the reading of the majority, and the waw was given a fathah due to proximity, just as the dal was given a kasrah for it in the Almighty’s saying, "All praise is to Allah" (Al-hamdu lillahi) in some readings.

[In a deep sea] (i.e., deep, with much water, attributed to the lujj, which is the main body of the sea water; it is also said to be the lujjah, which is also the main body). It is an adjective for "sea," and so is the sentence of the Almighty’s saying: [covered by] (i.e., that sea is covered and concealed completely) [waves]. The first [sentence] was placed first because it is singular. It is said the sentence is an adjective for the implied "that which has," and the pronoun refers to it, and you have known the state of that implication. The Almighty’s saying: [above it are waves] is a sentence of a subject and predicate, its place being in the nominative as an adjective for "waves," or the adjective is the prepositional phrase and what follows it, serving as its active participle because it relies upon the qualified noun. The intent is: "it is covered by waves piled up, one upon another." The Almighty’s saying: [above it is a cloud] is an adjective for the second "waves," according to one of the two mentioned views; meaning: above those waves is a dark cloud that veiled the lights of the stars. In this is an allusion to the extreme piling up of the waves and their multiplication until it is as if they reached the clouds. [Darknesses] is the predicate of an omitted subject, i.e., "they are darknesses" [some of them above others] (i.e., dense, piled up). This is an explanation of the perfect intensity of the darknesses, just as the Almighty’s saying, "Light upon light," is an explanation of the ultimate degree of light, except that the latter relates to the musyabbah (the compared) and this to the musyabbah bihi (the object of comparison), as is evidenced by what follows it.

Al-Hufi permitted that "darknesses" be the subject, and its predicate is His, the Exalted’s, saying: "some of them above others." Abu Hayyan—followed by Ibn Hisham—criticized this, saying it is apparently not permissible because it involves starting with an indefinite noun without justification, unless it is estimated as an adjective for it, signaled by the tanwin—i.e., "darknesses, stirring or great"—which is an affectation. He also permitted "some" to be a substitute for "darknesses," but it was criticized that this is not permissible from the perspective of meaning, because the intent—and Allah the Exalted knows best—is to inform that they are darknesses and that some of those darknesses are above others (i.e., they are piled-up darknesses), not to inform that "some darknesses" are above others without informing that the aforementioned darknesses are piled up. Qunbul recited "darknesses" in the genitive as a substitute for the first "darknesses," not as an emphasis for it, and the sentence "some of them above others" is in the position of an adjective for it. Al-Bazzi recited "a cloud of darknesses" by genitive construction of "cloud" to "darknesses," and this construction is like the construction in "a sea of water," or to explain that this cloud is not a cloud of rain and mercy.

[When he puts out] (i.e., the one afflicted with them—and the omission of his reference without mentioning him is because the meaning indicates him clearly). Likewise is the estimation of the pronoun referring to "darknesses"; it was needed because the sentence "when he puts out," etc., is in the position of an adjective for "darknesses," and it must have a connector, and what we indicated is not the only option. It is said: the agent pronoun returns to the active participle understood from the verb, similar to "he does not drink wine, and he is a believer," meaning: when the one putting out [his hand] puts his hand therein [and keeps it in view, near his eyes, to look at it], [he can hardly see it] (i.e., he does not come close to seeing it, even though it is the closest thing to him, let alone seeing it). Ibn al-Anbari claimed that "hardly" (yakada) is an addition. Al-Farra and Al-Mubarrad claimed that the meaning is "he did not see it except after effort," for custom has dictated that it is said "he hardly did" and "he did not hardly do" regarding an action that has been done with difficulty, while deeming its occurrence unlikely. Upon this came the Almighty’s saying: "So they slaughtered it, and they did not hardly do [it]." From here, Ibn Shubruma corrected Dhu al-Rumma for his saying: "When distance changed the lovers, the stirring of longing from the love of Mayya hardly ceased." He called him: "O Abu Ghaylan, I see that it has ceased!" He broke [the verse] and Dhu al-Rumma yielded to him. So he changed "hardly did" to "it did not" or "I did not find." The investigation is that what "he did not hardly" and "he hardly did" requires is that the action did not occur from its root, nor did it approach in thought to be, and there is no doubt in this.

It is known that kada is positioned for the extreme proximity of the action to occurrence and its impending state, so it is impossible for its negation to necessitate the existence of the action, because it leads to [the conclusion] that what approached [the action] is [the action] itself. So the view is that if the meaning is not that there was a condition where it would be distant for it to have been, then it changed—as in the Almighty’s saying "So they slaughtered it," etc.—one adheres to the apparent meaning and makes the meaning that the action did not approach being, let alone having been. The verse is upon that, and so is the poem. It has been mentioned that "he did not hardly" in both of them is the answer to "if," so it is future. If you say: "If you go out, I will not go out," you have negated a future exiting. Thus, it is impossible for the meaning in them to be that the action has occurred.

This investigation is the summary of what the Sheikh investigated in Dala'il al-I'jaz, and from it, one knows the refutation of those who claimed that the negation of kada is an affirmation, and its affirmation is a negation. In the Shahabiyyah glosses, the negation of kada, upon the mentioned investigation, is more eloquent than the negation of the verb it enters upon, because the negation of its proximity indicates its negation by way of demonstration, except that if it occurs in the past, it does not negate its occurrence in the future. It might suggest that it occurred after despairing of it, as in the verse of Al-Baqarah. If it occurs in the future, it does not negate its occurrence in the past; if a hint is established for its occurrence therein, it suggests that it was negated and despaired of after it was not so, as in this verse. For due to the intensity of the darkness, he cannot see his hand which was right before his eyes. Then he inferred from this that you may say: The meaning of those who said that its negation is an affirmation and its affirmation a negation is that its negation in the past suggests affirmation in the future, and vice-versa, as you have heard. This is the way of correcting Ibn Shubruma and the changing of Dhu al-Rumma, for his intent is that the antiquity of her love did not approach cessation in all times, and its negation in the future implies its affirmation in the past. So it is not said: "They are among the eloquent Arabs whose speech is cited as evidence; how did this elude them?" Therefore, he considered it unlikely in Al-Kashf and leaned towards the fact that their story is fabricated. He advised preserving this, where he said: "So preserve it, for it is an elegant investigation and a precise reconciliation that occurred by pure grace and success." End quote.

By my life, the interpretation of the speaker's speech is far, very far, and I do not think it will be accepted by him. The negation of every action in the past does not negate its occurrence in the future, and its negation in the future does not negate its occurrence in the past; there is no exclusivity for kada in this. I wish I knew if the dispelling of the illusion is what Dhu al-Rumma changed his poem for, so contemplate that, and Allah the Exalted will undertake your guidance.

Then, the apparent meaning of the verse requires that the obstacle to seeing is the intensity of the darkness, and it is so. For the condition of vision, according to custom in this realm, is light, whether it is by the mere creation of Allah the Exalted—as the People of Truth have held—or by the emission of rays from the eye in the form of a solid cone, or composed of lines gathered on the side near the head first, or in the form of a cone, or rather uniformly, but with the establishment of the tip near the eye and its connection to the seen object; or by the transformation of the ray that is in the eye by the quality of the air, and the whole becoming an instrument for vision, as the groups of mathematicians have held; or by the impression of the phantom of the seen object in a part of the crystalline humor that resembles cold and ice, as the naturalists have held. These two schools are the most famous among philosophers, and it is attributed to the Illuminationists among them.

Shahab al-Din the Slain chose that vision is by the confrontation of the illuminated object with the visual member in which there is humor. When these conditions are met, along with the removal of the obstacle, a presential, illuminating knowledge of the vision occurs to the soul, and the soul perceives it as a manifest, clear witnessing without rays or impressions. Mulla Sadra chose that it is by the creation of an image similar to the seen object by the power of Allah the Exalted from the psychic Malakut realm, abstracted from external matter, present at the perceiving soul, existing by it with the existence of the act by the actor, not the existence of the received by the recipient. The investigation of this, with its pros and cons, is in the expansive philosophy books. It is sometimes thought that darkness, whether it is existential or the absence of a faculty, is among the conditions of vision like light, but relative to some bodies, such as things that shine at night. Ibn Sina denied that and said: Especially that darkness is a condition for the existence of visible luminaries. That is because the luminous is visible whether the observer is in darkness or in light, like fire; we see it absolutely. As for the sun, we cannot see it in the darkness because when it rises, the darkness does not remain. As for the stars and luminaries, they are only seen in the darkness, not during the day, because the sun’s light overcomes their light. When the sense is acted upon by the strong light, it necessarily does not react to the weak one. As for at night, there is no light dominant over their light, so they are seen. In short, their becoming invisible is not because that depends on darkness, but because of the existence of the obstacle to vision, which is the existence of dominant light. End quote. It is possible to say: the sun’s light, according to what we mentioned, is an obstacle to seeing the luminaries, and the removal of the obstacle to vision is a condition for it, and the dispelling of the light is darkness. So darkness is a condition for seeing luminaries at night, which is the objective. So contemplate and do not be heedless. And Allah the Exalted knows best the truths of matters.

[And he for whom Allah has not made a light, for him there is no light]

An epilogic objection brought to confirm what the similitude has conveyed—that the deeds of the disbelievers are as detailed. The investigation is that this is due to His, the Exalted’s, failure to guide them to His light. Bringing the relative pronoun is to signal, by what is in the position of the silah (relative clause), the cause of the ruling, and that they are among those whom Allah the Exalted did not will to guide—i.e., whoever Allah the Exalted did not will to guide to His light in the world, then he has no guidance at all therein. It is said: the meaning of the verse is that he had no light in the world, so he has no light in the Hereafter. It is said: both matters are in the Hereafter, and the meaning is: whoever Allah the Exalted does not illuminate with His pardon and have mercy on with His mercy on the Day of Resurrection, then he has no mercy from anyone therein. The reliable [interpretation] is what preceded.

The apparent meaning is that the intent is to compare the deeds of the disbelievers to piled-up darknesses without considering parts in the two sides of the comparison, considering the comparison of some of them to others. Some of them considered that, so they said: The darknesses are the corrupt deeds and false beliefs; the deep sea is the disbeliever’s chest and heart; the waves are the misguidance and ignorance that have submerged his heart; the second wave is the distorted thoughts; and the cloud is his desire for disbelief and his turning away from faith. It is said: The darknesses are the disbeliever’s deeds, the deep sea is his deep, vast lust—vast for the danger of the one drowning in it—the wave is what covers his heart of ignorance and heedlessness, the second wave is what covers him of doubt and suspicion, and the cloud is what covers him of polytheism and confusion, which prevents him from being guided. All of this is as you can see, and if it were made from the category of allusion, the matter would be easier.

[And from the category of allusion] is what was said that in the Almighty’s saying, "And let a group of the believers witness their punishment," is an allusion that it is appropriate for the Sheikh, if he wishes to discipline a disciple and break his commanding self, to discipline him in the presence of a group of disciples who do not need discipline. From here, Abu Bakr bin Tahir said: No one should witness the places of discipline except those who do not deserve discipline, and they are a group of believers, not all believers collectively. Adultery, according to them, is an allusion to the inclination towards the world and its desires. In the Almighty’s saying, "The adulterer does not marry except an adulteress," etc., and His, the Exalted’s, saying, "The evil women are for the evil men," etc., is an allusion that it is not appropriate for the righteous to associate with the wicked; "birds of a feather flock together."

In His, the Exalted’s, saying, "Do not think it bad for you; rather, it is good for you," is an allusion that it is not appropriate for one who is criticized by the deniers among the Sheikhs to grieve over that and think it is bad for him, for it is good for him, causing his advancement.

In His, the Exalted’s, saying, "And let not those of virtue... swear," etc., is an allusion that it is appropriate for Sheikhs and the great to not forsake those among the disciples who stumble and commit slips, and not to cut off their kindness and emanations from them. In His, the Exalted’s, saying, "O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet their people," is an allusion that it is not appropriate for one who wishes to enter upon the saints to enter until he finds the spirit of acceptance and permission for the emanation of spiritual support upon his heart—referred to as "ascertaining welcome"—for the saint may have a state in which it is not appropriate for the entrant to be present, and that may harm him. Some Sufis generalized this to those who wish to enter to visit the graves of the saints—may Allah the Exalted sanctify their secrets—so they said: It is appropriate for whoever desires that to stand at the door in the most perfect state of etiquette, gather his senses, rely with his heart, seeking permission, and make his Sheikh an intermediary between him and the visited saint. If he gains expansion of heart, spiritual support, and inward emanation, then let him enter; otherwise, let him return. This is what is meant by the etiquette of visiting according to them. We did not find this from any of the righteous predecessors, and the Shia, when visiting the Imams—may Allah the Exalted be pleased with them—one of them calls out, "May I enter, O Commander of the Faithful?" or "O son of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him," or similar to that. They claim that the sign of permission is the occurrence of softening of the heart and the shedding of tears, which is also something we have not known from any of the predecessors, nor did our jurists mention it. I do not think it is anything but an innovation, and its doer is not considered anything but a laughingstock for the rational. The fact that the visited is alive in his grave does not call for asking permission to enter to visit him, and likewise what some jurists mentioned—that it is appropriate for the visitor to exercise etiquette with the visited as one exercises etiquette with him while he is alive—as is not hidden. I have seen, after my writing of this, in Al-Jawhar al-Muntazam fi Ziyarat al-Qabr al-Mu'azzam, may Allah the Exalted bless him and grant him peace, by Ibn Hajar al-Makki, what follows: "Some of them said: And it is appropriate to stand, meaning the visitor, at the door, a gentle stance, like one asking permission to enter upon the great." End quote.

It is problematic that there is no basis for this, nor a state or etiquette that requires it. End quote. From it, it is known that if this was not legislated in visiting his grave—upon him be peace—then its lack of legislation in visiting others is a matter of priority. So preserve that, and may Allah the Exalted protect us from innovations and you too. It is said in His, the Exalted’s, saying, "Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision," etc., that it contains a command to lower the sight of the self from the objects of worldly desire, the sight of the heart from seeing deeds and the delights of the Hereafter, the sight of the secret from [seeking] degrees and acts of proximity, the sight of the spirit from turning to anything other than Allah the Exalted, and the sight of the ambition from seeing himself fit to witness the Truth—out of exaltation for Him, the Exalted, and reverence—and a command to guard the private parts of the inward from the influence of the two realms upon it. The allusion in the command to the women not to display their adornment except to whom He excepted is that it is not appropriate for one who has adorned himself with the adornment of secrets to display it to non-mahrams, and whoever does not conceal it from the strangers [has sinned]. By His, the Exalted’s, saying, "And marry the unmarried among you," etc., [is an allusion] to the spiritual marriage, which is that the perfect Sheikh deposits in the womb of the heart, from the loins of sainthood, a drop of the preparedness to accept the divine emanation. This preparedness has been alluded to by His, the Exalted’s, saying, "If they should be poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty." Then He, the Exalted, said, "But let them seek abstinence—those who do not find" a Sheikh at the moment—the wombs of their hearts from the influences of the world, desire, and Satan—"until Allah enriches them from His bounty" by granting them success in finding a perfect Sheikh, or by singling them out, the Exalted, with one of His attractions. In His, the Exalted’s, saying, "And those who seek the contract [of emancipation]," etc., it is alluded that if the disciple seeks deliverance from the bond of ascetic practice, it is necessary to answer him if he knows there is goodness in him, which is monotheism, knowledge, reliance, contentment, satisfaction, truthfulness in action, and fulfilling the covenant. It is mandatory that he be given some of the gifts that Allah the Exalted has specifically granted to the Sheikh. In His, the Exalted’s, saying, "And do not compel..." etc., it is alluded that if the soul is not inclined to act in the world, it should not be compelled to do so. His, the Exalted’s, saying, "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth" is a long, broad speech, and in what we have presented is what is suitable to be from this category. It was mentioned that His, the Exalted’s, saying, "Men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah" is among what is included in the generality of the people of the Naqshbandi scholarly path who have attained the heart-remembrance and it has taken root in their hearts such that they are not heedless of Him, the Exalted, in any state of conditions. This, even if it is established for others among the masters of the paths, is only established in the endings, not the beginnings, as it is established for the people of that path. In the Maktubat of the Imam Rabbani—may his secret be sanctified—is what suffices from lengthening the explanation of the conditions of these people and the clarification of their status in remembrance and presence among all peoples. May Allah the Exalted gather us and them under the banner of the Prophet, upon him be peace. It is said that His, the Exalted’s, saying, "And he for whom Allah has not made a light, for him there is no light," is an allusion to what was reported in the Hadith: "Allah created creation in darkness, then sprinkled upon them from His light; whoever was touched by it was guided, and whoever missed it went astray." And Allah the Exalted is the Granter of success for righteous deeds.