Home > 2025

2025

An Esoteric Interpretation of Quranic Verse: Surah Al-Hajj (22:52) - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

September 24, 2025

 In the name of Allah.

“And We did not send before you any messenger or prophet except that when he spoke [or recited], Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding]. But Allah abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allah makes precise His verses. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.” —- Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage), Chapter 22, Verse 52.

This verse underscores the inevitability of interference in the transmission of truth—whether through prophets or in our personal quests for understanding—yet affirms Allah’s ultimate sovereignty in purifying and clarifying His message. It serves as a metaphor not only for prophetic experiences but also for the human journey toward knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual clarity.

Drawing from this verse, we can outline a four-step process that mirrors the divine mechanism: 1. Seeking with purity, 2. Receiving inspiration, 3. Confronting doubt, and 4. Achieving ultimate certainty. This framework, rooted in Islamic principles like Rahman (universal mercy) and Rahim (specific compassion), offers a pathway for believers to navigate life’s uncertainties, blending faith with reflective action.

The first step begins with seeking and reflection (fikr) undertaken with a clear heart and mind, supported by good deeds (amal). This phase is about cultivating an inner purity that opens the door to divine blessings, allowing one to identify real and good questions as a manifestation of Allah’s Rahman—His all-encompassing mercy available to everyone, regardless of their starting point. Just as the verse describes prophets reciting divine words, humans must initiate their quest with sincerity. A cluttered mind, burdened by ego or worldly distractions, cannot discern meaningful inquiries. Instead, through acts of kindness, prayer, and ethical living, one clears the path. For instance, consider a seeker pondering the purpose of existence; without a foundation of good amal, such as charity or honesty, the questions might remain superficial. But with purity, they transform into profound probes that invite divine guidance. This aligns with the verse’s assurance of Allah’s wisdom: the initial act of seeking is blessed universally, like rain falling on all lands, fostering questions that lead toward truth rather than illusion.

Building on this foundation, the second step involves deep desire (tamanna), which draws real inspiration with Allah’s direct permission—a special blessing under His Rahim attribute, reserved for those who earnestly ask. Here, the seeker’s intensified longing acts as a conduit for divine insight, much like the prophets’ recitation inviting initial clarity before interference. Tamanna is not mere wishful thinking but a fervent, focused aspiration that aligns with Allah’s will. In the context of the verse, this is the moment of initial revelation or intuition, where ideas flow as if whispered by the divine. For example, an inventor driven by a deep tamanna to solve a societal problem might suddenly conceptualize a breakthrough, attributing it to Allah’s permission. This step emphasizes humility in asking; as the Quran encourages, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you” (40:60). It is Rahim’s targeted compassion that elevates the seeker’s inspiration from ordinary thought to something potentially transformative, setting the stage for deeper testing.

However, no path to truth is without challenge, leading to the third step: the phase of doubt and Satan’s casting, akin to hypothesis testing, evaluating evidence, sensory experience, and signal-versus-noise analysis. This directly echoes the verse’s core: “Satan threw into it [some misunderstanding].” Just as prophets faced distortions in their messages—through misinterpretation or external influences—humans encounter doubts that cloud their inspirations. This interference manifests as conflicting evidence, emotional turmoil, or misleading sensory inputs, requiring rigorous discernment. In modern terms, it’s like scientific method: proposing a hypothesis (from tamanna), then testing it against data while filtering out biases (Satan’s whispers). For a believer, this might involve questioning a spiritual insight through scripture, consultation with scholars, or personal reflection. The verse reassures that such trials are universal, even for prophets, but they serve to strengthen resolve. By analyzing signals (genuine signs from Allah) against noise (deceptive doubts), one hones their understanding, preparing for purification. This phase tests faith, reminding us that Satan’s role is temporary, a divine allowance to refine the seeker’s character.

Finally, the fourth step entails continuing fikr or seeking, while purifying one’s work, intention, and vision, culminating in Allah’s purification of the original tamanna and the granting of clear Ayn al-Yaqin—certainty by direct experience, under the combined mercy of Rahman and Rahim. As the verse states, “Allah abolishes that which Satan throws in; then Allah makes precise His verses.” Through persistent effort and sincerity, the distortions of doubt are erased, and clarity emerges. This is not passive; it demands ongoing amal and self-purification, much like polishing a gem to reveal its true luster. Ayn al-Yaqin represents the highest level of certainty, where knowledge becomes experiential, as if seeing with the heart’s eye. For instance, a person grappling with faith doubts might, through continued prayer and study, experience a moment of profound peace, confirming their path. This step integrates the universal (Rahman) and personal (Rahim) mercies, affirming Allah’s Knowing and Wise nature—He designs the process to lead seekers from confusion to conviction.

In conclusion, Surah Al-Hajj (22:52) illuminates a timeless cycle of divine inspiration in human endeavors, where initial purity invites inspiration, doubt tests resilience, and persistence yields clarity. This four-step process—seeking with a clear heart, deep tamanna for inspiration, confronting Satan’s interference, and achieving purified certainty—mirrors the prophetic experience while guiding everyday believers. It reminds us that challenges are not barriers but tools for growth, orchestrated by Allah’s wisdom. By embracing this framework, one can transform personal quests into spiritual triumphs, embodying the Quran’s promise of guidance for those who strive.


“Call upon Me; I will respond to you” (40:60).

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

Country folks vs City folks.

September 2, 2025 Key Concepts :

Country folks vs City folks.

While the United States harnesses cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence to control the narrative and trap the hive mind into its own bubble, military might bolstered by space domination through free energy extraction devices, and speculative gravitic devices to dominate global narratives and entrench its hegemony, a farmer in rural Bangladesh relies on rudimentary technology for mere subsistence harvesting. In the grand narrative of human progress, big cities emerge as pivotal forces, accelerating the divergence of civilizations into parallel universes within a single world.

This disparity mirrors ancient asymmetries: While India was beginning to formulate its inaugural theological frameworks through the Vedas, Upanishads, and grammatical innovations, the Beni Israel had already overthrown Egypt's pinnacle civilization, honing their theology into sophisticated personal and geopolitical ethics.

Such simultaneous yet staggered developments expose the fractured, asynchronous essence of civilizational time—overlapping temporalities where some societies forge ahead, widening unbridgeable chasms from others. This dynamic is exemplified by Ibn Khaldūn’s dichotomy between the resilient, cohesive rural existence (umrān badawī) and the intricate, diversifying urban realm (umrān ḥaḍarī), not as sequential stages but as coexistent modes with distinct logics and durations. From a Hegelian lens, this uneven unfolding reflects the World-Spirit (Weltgeist) attaining self-awareness sporadically: one culture laboriously composes metaphysical poetry, while another crystallizes theology into instruments of statecraft.

Big cities, as hubs of concentrated resources and intellect, intensify these gaps, propelling innovation while rural spheres lag in slower orbits. The perception of some "universes" outpacing others shifts from material to intellectual domains, underscoring developmental lags as inherent to history's staggered rhythm.

What can you do? "Adopt, Watch and Learn," as this method transcends mimicry, evolving into a Jungian quest for individuation: integrating conflicting archetypes to forge psychic wholeness amid fragmentation. Salvaging the self demands this internal synthesis, lest external schisms erode personal coherence before it's too late.

Footnote:

Have We not made for him two eyes? And a tongue and two lips? And have shown him the two highways (of good and evil)? - Sūrat al-Balad, 90:8

He has succeeded who purifies it, And he has failed who instills it [with corruption] - Sūrat al-Shams, 91:9-10

"The more things change, the more they are the same," Alphonse Karr.

Death as Interpretated and Synthesized from Quranic Verses.

August 29, 2025 Key Concepts :

Death, according to Quranic verses, is not as a singular biological event but as a spiritual state contingent on one's relationship with the divine. The fate of a righteous individual, a sinner, and Jesus ('Isa, pbuh) illustrates a spectrum where "death" can signify purification, a state of sin or error, or a divine elevation. For qur'anic verses, see the outline below.

The Single, Transformative Death for the Righteous.

For a righteous human being, the Qur'an outlines a journey through one primary, earthly death that functions as a gateway to a higher existence. Verses like Qur'an 2:28 frame the human lifecycle: "You were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, and then to Him you will... be returned." This trajectory is not merely biological but spiritual. The journey begins from a lifeless, pre-existent state, moves into an earthly life that may be fraught with ignorance, and culminates in a single, purifying death.

This death is not an end but a transition—an end to confusion and error. It is the catalyst for a second, "cognizant life," an elevated state of being for which humanity is asked to be grateful (Qur'an 22:66). The promise in Qur'an 7:25, "Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth," reinforces that this one earthly death is a necessary passage to being resurrected into a truer, more aware existence.

The Double Death of the Sinner.

In stark contrast, the path of the sinner is marked by two deaths. On Judgment Day, they will confess, "Our Lord, You made us die twice and gave us life twice" (Qur'an 40:11). This double death is not merely about pre-existence and biological death. Instead, it points to a profound spiritual reality.

The first death is a spiritual one: a life lived in willful ignorance and sin is a state of being already dead—a "walking death." This is a self-imposed state of being cut off from the divine source of life. The second death is the familiar biological cessation of life. This sequence—a life of spiritual death followed by physical death—does not lead to a cognizant new life but to a final, negative state, whether conceived as oblivion, a shadowy existence like the Jewish concept of Sheol, or eternal torment in Jahannam. The cause for this dire outcome is their rejection of truth in their first life (Qur'an 40:12).

Special Case of the Death of Jesus. The Purifying "Death" of Jesus.

The case of Jesus presents a unique application of this symbolic understanding of death, reconciling two key passages. In an earlier Madinan revelation, Allah tells Jesus, "I will cause you to die and raise you up to me, and purify you" (Qur'an 3:55). However, a later Madinan verse explicitly states that his enemies "did not kill him, nor did they crucify him... Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself" (Qur'an 4:157-158).

These verses are not contradictory. The "death" promised in 3:55 is analogous to the single, transformative death of the believer—it is a symbolic and purifying event, not a biological one. It represents the end of his earthly mission amidst rejection and his elevation by Allah. He was thus "purified" from the plots of those who disbelieved and was raised to Allah's presence without undergoing the physical death his persecutors intended. This divine act preserved him from a violent, earthly end while still fulfilling the archetype of a purifying transition to a higher state.

In conclusion, the Quranic depiction of death is deeply tied to one's spiritual state. For the righteous, Death is a single, blessed transition. For the sinner, it is a dual tragedy of spiritual decay followed by physical demise. For Jesus, it was a unique, divine act of elevation, underscoring that the ultimate reality of life and death is determined not by earthly events but by one's submission to the will of Allah.


Outline:

Death of a Righteous Human Being.

Section 1.

Qur'an 2:28: "How can you deny Allah? You were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, and then to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned."

Summary: Lifeless [Pre-Existent] + Ignorant Life + Death [End of Confusion/Error] + Cognizant Life + Return [Persistence of existence beyond apparent earthly death, which is not an end but a continuation of life] => 1 Earthly DEATH.

Similar verses include:

Qur'an 22:66: "And He is it who has given you life; then He will cause you to die, then He will give you life. Indeed, mankind is ungrateful."

Note: Here, we are asked to be grateful for the second life.

Qur'an 30:40: "Allah is the one who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, and then will give you life."

Qur'an 7:25: "[Allah] said, 'Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth.'"

Summary: Lifeless [Pre-Existent] + Ignorant Life [1st life] + Death [End of Confusion/Error] + Cognizant Life [Gift of Everlasting Life or 2nd life] => 1 Earthly DEATH.

Note: Here, we are asked to be grateful for the second life. We should be grateful for experiencing only one death.

Section 2: Death for the Sinners.

Qur'an 40:11: "They will say, 'Our Lord, You made us die twice and gave us life twice, and we have confessed our sins...'"

Classical Tafsir Summary: The first death is the state of non-existence before life, the first life is this world, the second death is the end of earthly life, and the second life is the resurrection for judgment.

Interpretive Summary: Lifeless [Pre-Existent] + Earthly Life + An ignorant life full of sin, or spiritual "Death" [explained in Q 40:12] + Earthly Biological Death => Fading into Oblivion/Non-Existence / Jewish Sheol / Eternal Tormenting State. This implies 2 deaths for the sinner.

Alternative Summary: Lifeless [Pre-Existent] + Earthly life as children + Fall from grace as willful adults, OR an ignorant life full of sin ("Walking Death") [1st DEATH] + Earthly Biological Death [2nd DEATH, the cause of which is explained in Q 40:12] => Fading into Oblivion/Non-Existence / Jewish Sheol / Eternal Tormenting State after the second death. Again, this implies 2 deaths for the sinner.

Section 3: Special Case of the Death of Jesus.

Surah Ali 'Imran 3:55 [mid-Madinan period]: "Allah said, “Jesus, I will cause you to die and raise you up to me, and purify you from those who denied the truth, and I will exalt your followers over those who deny you until the Resurrection Day. Then you all will return to me, and I will judge between you in matters about which you disagree."

Summary: This refers to one purifying death [analogous to the "End of Confusion/Error" above]. This death is not biological.

vs.

Surah An-Nisa 4:157-158 [late-Madinan period]: "...and [for] said, “We have killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.” However, they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, though it was made to appear as if it had been so. Those who disagree are confused, having no [real] knowledge to follow, only guesswork. They certainly did not kill him. Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself. Allah is Revered and Wise."

Summary: There was no earthly death for Jesus. This is in agreement with Surah Ali 'Imran 3:55, as that verse refers only to a symbolic, purifying "death."


Islam, and the Geopolitical Subversion of Spiritual Traditions

August 18, 2025

The history of monotheistic religion can be interpreted as a multi-millennial struggle for spiritual and terrestrial dominion, marked by a series of strategic subversions and syntheses. This narrative begins with ancient Israelite religion, which systematically replaced the spiritual traditions of Mesopotamia and Egypt under the guise of a new, exclusive monotheism. This act initiated a chain reaction where competing civilizations sought to reclaim, redefine, and redeploy these foundational spiritual concepts for their own imperial ambitions, culminating in the rise of Christianity and the subsequent corrective emergence of Islam.

The foundation of this process was the Israelite reformulation of existing spiritual systems. The biblical narrative of Abraham’s journey from Ur signals a clear inheritance from Mesopotamian civilizations, absorbing and repurposing core elements such as the flood narratives found in the Epic of Gilgamesh and established legal structures. Later, the Exodus story served as a foundational act of liberation not only from physical bondage in Egypt but also from the Egyptian philosophical monopoly on the divine. By establishing an exclusive covenant with a single deity, the Israelites effectively transferred the locus of divine authority—previously rooted in Egyptian concepts of a hidden, universal God—onto themselves, subverting the ancient traditions for a new national and theological purpose.

This appropriation of the divine did not go unchallenged. The established philosophical systems of the Egyptian, Sumerian, and Greek worlds perceived the new Israelite cult as a corruption of their own ancient traditions. In response, they initiated a philosophical and mythological reconquest, absorbing and reinterpreting the Israelite framework. As a counter-measure, the remnants of Israel synthesized the prevailing currents of the Greco-Roman world into a new, potent system: Gnosticism. This was an act of theological vengeance, an attempt to reconquer the intellectual and spiritual landscape by integrating the very systems that had challenged them into a new, esoteric framework.

Ultimately, this complex interplay of religious ideas was harnessed for imperial statecraft. The Roman Empire, locked in a geopolitical struggle for dominance with the Persian Empire, recognized the strategic value of this new Gnosticism. By formulating its core tenets into a more accessible and universal system, Rome created Christianity. This new religion served as a powerful tool to pacify and absorb the restive Zealot factions within Judaism and, more importantly, to capture the "Light of Civilization" from its rivals. Christianity became the vehicle through which Rome could assert not just military but also spiritual authority over the known world.

The final chapter in this grand narrative is the rise of Islam, which can be viewed as a profound rectification. From this perspective, Islam emerged to correct the compounded extortions of spiritual truth—first by the Israelites and then by the Greco-Roman world. It sought to dismantle the complex theological structures that had centralized divine access and restore the highest spiritual essences into a direct, unmediated practice accessible to all people, thereby breaking the cycle of imperial co-option.

Did you weep when you came into your senses?

August 14, 2025

Did you weep when you came into your senses?

The recognition of a profound truth often provokes powerful emotional responses. Weeping, in particular, is frequently interpreted as a sign of sincere faith and an authentic encounter with a deeper reality. This idea is present across numerous religious traditions. The Quran describes believers weeping and falling in prostration upon hearing divine verses, an act that deepens their humility and signifies their acceptance of truth. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself wept upon hearing a Quranic recitation, demonstrating its significant emotional impact. In Sufism, the ecstatic state of finding God is often expressed through weeping, which the scholar Al-Ghazali viewed as the mark of a "living heart" receptive to truth. Similarly, the Hebrew Bible recounts that King Josiah and the people wept upon hearing the Law, a reaction God recognized as a sign of a receptive heart. In the New Testament, Jesus praised a woman's weeping as an act of repentance and profound faith. The concept also appears in Indian Bhakti traditions, where tears of love and longing for the divine are considered a high spiritual achievement, manifesting an intense connection with God. Philosophical and esoteric systems also link insight with emotion. Plato's Allegory of the Cave portrays the first encounter with Truth as a painful, overwhelming cognitive shock. Aristotle's theory of catharsis suggests that purging emotions is integral to achieving intellectual clarity. The philosopher Al-Ghazali documented his own emotional and intellectual crisis, which guided him from pure rationalism toward the experiential truth of Sufism. In esoteric traditions, the Greek Eleusinian Mysteries used rituals to induce intense emotional states like awe and terror, considering this cathartic journey a prerequisite for spiritual revelation. Likewise, alchemical tradition describes a stage symbolized as "weeping," which represents the painful but necessary dissolution of the ego before spiritual rebirth. Modern disciplines offer various analyses of this phenomenon. From a cognitive perspective, weeping signals a radical restructuring of core beliefs, as the emotional release discharges the resulting mental dissonance. Psychoanalytic theories see it as a cathartic release of repressed energy or as the ego's surrender during a powerful encounter with the archetypal Self. Attachment theory frames such weeping as a corrective emotional experience that forges a secure connection to a higher power, alleviating existential loneliness. While Stoicism generally advises controlling passions, it might permit weeping as an initial, involuntary reaction to a startling insight. William James noted that religious conversions often involve emotional crises where weeping marks a transition toward divine harmony. Kierkegaard would describe it as a passionate "leap of faith" that shatters objectivity. Neuroscience confirms that profound insights activate the brain's emotional centers, and weeping releases neurochemicals like oxytocin that reduce distress and help integrate the new understanding. A secular example is the "Overview Effect," where astronauts viewing Earth from space experience overwhelming emotions and tears triggered by a radical shift in perspective. Ultimately, the act of weeping in response to insight is a universal motif where significant cognitive shifts—divine, philosophical, or psychological—trigger potent emotional reactions. This cathartic release is not seen as a loss of control but as an authentic marker of a transformative encounter. It signifies the dissolution of a former worldview in the face of a truth that must be felt viscerally before it can be fully integrated intellectually.

Qur’an:

Al-Isrāʾ, 17:109: "And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it increases them in humble submission."

Maryam, 19:58: "...When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping."

Al-Māʾidah, 5:83: "And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth."

Esoteric Metaphysics of the Quran - Citations and Bibliography

August 12, 2025

 

Esoteric Metaphysics of the Quran.

The message behind the veils of the Quran is that of a universe emanating from a hidden source through stages of emanation, fragmentation, and finally rectification, culminating in the prophetic message of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the eternal Quran. The Perfected Human, as exemplified by the Prophet, serves as the primary agent of this cosmic rectification, harmonizing the divine sparks within the shattered cosmos and guiding all back to the Source. This metaphysical framework unfolds as a seven-fold cosmogony: from the Hidden Absolute (0) to Oneness (1), followed by the creative principles of the Pen (2) and the Light-Matrix (3). This leads to a cataclysmic Diad-Shatter (4), forming the Quadrate World (4) of manifestation. The cycle culminates in the Living Matrix (5) of rectification before returning to the Source through Annihilation and Return (6). Each stage is anchored in Quranic verses, revealing a monistic gnosis where perceived multiplicity is an illusion and all existence is governed by divine laws.¹ This framework shows deep parallels with other esoteric traditions—such as Lurianic Kabbalah (Ein Sof, Tzimtzum, Shevirat ha-Kelim)², Hermeticism (the One, Logos, Ouroboros)³, Gnosticism (Simon Magus's Great Declaration)⁴, and Plotinian monism⁵—which illuminate the Quran's role as a blueprint for cosmic architecture, unifying spiritual dynamics with the invariant laws of nature. Hence, the Quran is justly called the Mother of the Books.⁶

The Unmanifest Absolute and Oneness (Al-Batin and Al-Ahad)

The cycle originates from Al-Batin, the Hidden (Quran 57:3), an unknowable, absolute principle. This is the ultimate reality that cannot be grasped or defined, representing the primordial ground of all being and the Absolute Unknowable Source (Quran 6:103). This stage corresponds to the numerical archetype of 0, representing concealment and the point before extension. From this hiddenness emerges Al-Ahad, Absolute Oneness (Quran 112:1)—not a being among beings, but Being itself. It is an undifferentiated, unique, and indivisible singularity that transitions the archetype from 0 to 1. This concept of pure monotheism (Tawhid) is central to a monistic gnosis where all multiplicity is a reflection of the One. A hadith qudsi states: "I was a hidden treasure, and I loved to be known, so I created the creation that I might be known."⁷ This points to a movement from concealment (Batin) to manifestation. In Exodus 3:14, "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.'" This reveals a being whose essence is existence itself, beyond simple definition. In 1 Timothy 6:16, "[He] dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see." This similarly describes hiddenness in different languages. In Plato's Form of the Good, it is the ultimate reality, the source of all other Forms and of knowledge itself, yet it is "beyond being" in dignity and power.⁸ Aristotle's Unmoved Mover is the ultimate cause of all motion in the universe, a pure, simple, and eternal actuality.⁹ Islamic Philosopher Avicenna (Ibn Sina) defines God as the Wajib al-Wujud (Necessary Existent), a single, uncaused being whose essence is its existence, from which all contingent reality flows.¹⁰ In Indian Upanisads (Vedanta), Nirguna Brahman is the ultimate reality without attributes—transcendent, indescribable, and impersonal. It is the unmanifest ground of all being (Sat).¹¹ For Plotinus, the ultimate principle is "The One" (To Hen), which is beyond being, description, and knowledge—the source from which all reality emanates, resonates directly to Al-Ahad.⁵ In Kabbalah, Ein Sof ("Without End") is the unknowable, limitless divine essence analogous to Al-Batin, from which the ten Sefirot (emanations) emerge. Keter (the Crown) is the first manifestation, analogous to Al-Ahad.² The Hermetic text Poimandres describes a primal, dark, and boundless state (analogous to Al-Batin) before the emergence of the Luminous Word.³ In ceremonial magic tradition, The Monas Hieroglyphica by John Dee symbolizes the unity of all things.¹² Spinoza described God as the one infinite substance (Deus sive Natura), of which mind and matter are merely attributes. All multiplicity is a mode of this single substance.¹³ On the other hand, Kant's noumenon (the thing-in-itself) is unknowable reality, which we can never directly access, as distinct from the phenomenon (the world as it appears to us).¹⁴ Jung's latent pre-manifest archetype of the Self,¹⁵ and Freud's pre-ego "oceanic feeling" or boundless unity, both mirror similar ideas.¹⁶ The pre-Big Bang is a point of infinite density and temperature, beyond which the known laws of physics break down. It is a physical analog to an ungraspable origin point. The quantum vacuum or field is not empty but a plenum of potential particles, a ground of being from which existence flickers in and out. Before any measurements, the pure potentiality of the quantum fields is analogous to Al-Batin, and after first measurements, the One that can be recognized as a distinct entity, Al-Ahad, emerges.

The Primal Intellect and Creative Word (Al-Qalam)

From Unity emanates the first principle of consciousness: Al-Qalam, the Pen (Quran 68:1, 96:4-5). The Pen is not a physical object but the divine principle of knowledge and decree—the Universal Logos (Kalimat Allah) or First Intellect. It functions to inscribe the archetypes of all that was, is, and will be onto the Guarded Tablet (Quran 2:255). Its creative act is instantaneous, manifesting through the divine command Kun Fayakun—"Be, and it is" (Quran 2:117). In Genesis 1:3, "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." Creation occurs through mere divine utterance. John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," captures the primeval role of Logos (the Qalam) in the process of creation. In Simon Magus's gnostic ideas, he taught that the Infinite Power manifested as Ennoia (Thought) and Voice, a clear parallel to Intellect and Word.⁴ For Plotinus, the Nous (Intellect) is the first emanation from the One. It contains all the Platonic Forms, the archetypes of everything that exists. It is the realm of perfect knowledge.⁵ Al-Farabi and Avicenna both posit a "First Intellect" proceeding from the Necessary Existent. This Intellect contemplates its source, generating the Second Intellect and the first celestial sphere, echoing core gnostic ideas.¹⁰ In Vedic Thought, the concept of Vac (Speech) is seen as a divine, creative power. Sabda Brahman refers to the ultimate reality manifesting as cosmic sound or vibration (like the syllable Om).¹¹ Hegelian Geist (Mind/Spirit) is the rational principle that unfolds itself through the logic of history as viewed as the autobiography of God.¹⁷ In his process philosophy, for Whitehead, God provides the "initial aim" for every "actual occasion," functioning as a persuasive, not coercive, principle of order and novelty.¹⁸ John Archibald Wheeler's "It from Bit" hypothesis suggests that physical reality ("It") arises from information-theoretic principles ("Bit").¹⁹ The universe is fundamentally informational. DNA functions as a script or code (qalam) that "writes" the blueprint of an organism onto the "tablet" of cellular matter. Its numerical archetype is 2, symbolizing the binary of the writer and that which is written upon, as well as the potentiality embodied in God's name Al-Samad (the Eternal).

Cosmic Splitting or Shattering and the World of Duality (Nur and the Quadrates)

The Intellect projects a subtle, ethereal substance: Nur, the Light of the World (Quran 24:35). This Light, symbolized by olive oil that "would almost glow even if no fire touched it," serves as the underlying matrix for creation. This substance is akin to the Kabbalistic or Hermetic Aether, and its numerical archetype is 3, representing a radiant triad. To accommodate creation within this Light, a divine contraction (akin to the Kabbalistic Tzimtzum) is followed by a cataclysmic "Shattering of the Vessels" (Shevirat ha-Kelim), where the divine light overwhelms its containers, scattering holy sparks (nitzotzot) into material shells (klipot), producing duality.² This cosmic schism, which parallels Simon Magus's "part severed into two principles," is reflected in the Quranic separation of the heavens and the earth (Quran 21:30).⁴

This "Shattering" has two primary results:

  1. Divine Sparks (Nur): Holy sparks of divine light are scattered and trapped in the lower realms. This divine spark is the Soul (Ruh), which is imprisoned within a material shell (Quran 17:85, 32:9).

  2. Material Shards (Klipot): The broken vessel shards become the shells of material existence. These shells constitute both gross matter and the individuated ego (Nafs).

This new, dualistic cosmos operates under immutable Divine Laws and measure (Qadar) (Quran 54:49, 25:2), echoing the Hermetic principle of "As Above, So Below."³ The numerical archetype here is 4, symbolizing the stable, grid-like structure of the spatio-temporal world. This splitting or shattering is not unique in the Quran or Scriptures. In the Babylonian creation myth, the cosmos is formed by the god Marduk splitting the body of the primordial sea-goddess Tiamat in two.²⁰ In the Orphic myth, Dionysus was torn apart by the Titans. Humanity is created from the Titans' ashes, which contain both their own evil nature and the divine sparks of the consumed Dionysus.²¹ Indian Samkhyan philosophy describes Reality as a dualism of Purusa (pure consciousness, spirit) and Prakrti (matter, nature). Suffering arises when Purusa mistakenly identifies with the activities and forms of Prakrti.¹¹ The Empedoclean cosmos was governed by two forces: Love (which unifies) and Strife (which separates). The world as we know it exists in a state of partial strife and fragmentation.²² In Plato's Timaeus, the world-soul is created by the Demiurge, but its embodiment in the physical world leads to disorder and irrationality that must be overcome.²³ Al-Ghazali, in his Mishkat al-Anwar (The Niche of Lights), develops a sophisticated metaphysics based on the Light Verse, where hierarchies of light and veils explain the structure of reality and perception.²⁴ The splitting of the Freudian primal psyche brings into conscious (conscious Ego) and unconscious realms. The ego is formed as a shard of the id, broken off by contact with external reality.²⁵ In cosmology, the symmetry breaking in the early universe is the process by which fundamental forces and particles separated from a unified state, creating the complexity we see today. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy (disorder, fragmentation) in an isolated system tends to increase.²⁶ The act of measurement "shatters" the wave function of multiple quantum possibilities into a single, definite reality.

Rectification and the Perfected Human (Al-Hayy al-Qayyum)

The purpose of this fragmented state is Rectification (Tikkun) and Reunification. This stage is embodied by the divine attribute Al-Hayy al-Qayyum, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining (Quran 2:255), which represents creation perfected—a living microcosm containing all cosmic forces. Within this living matrix, the divine soul (Ruh) provides tranquility (sakinah) (Quran 2:248) amidst the material world, the limited ego (Nafs), and entropic forces (Shaytan). Here, angelic vectors enforce divine law while subtle intelligences (Jinn) exercise free will. The primary agent of this cosmic healing is the Perfected Human—one who submits to and embodies the Divine Laws (a Muslim). Through spiritual struggle (jihad al-nafs), this individual elevates the trapped sparks of Ruh from the shells of matter and ego, thereby reversing the cosmic fragmentation. This is the path of annihilation in God (fana) and eternal subsistence through Him (baqa), as guided by Divine knowledge (Quran 18:65). This process is sustained by an everlasting reservoir of spiritual abundance, Al-Kawthar (Quran 108:1). The Trial and Tribulation of the Quran echoes the hero's journey (e.g., Odysseus, Hercules), a process of overcoming monstrous, chaotic forces (ego-passions) to restore order and reclaim one's kingdom (the perfected self). The purpose of humanity is Tikkun Olam ("repair of the world"), to gather the scattered sparks of holiness through righteous action and mystical intention, thus healing the cosmic rupture.² The Magnum Opus (Great Work) is the process of separating, purifying, and recombining the primordial elements (prima materia) to create the Philosopher's Stone, a symbol of the integrated, perfected, and immortal self. Its motto is Solve et Coagula (Dissolve and Coagulate).²⁷ Plato's philosopher's journey out of the cave (the Allegory of the Cave) is a form of rectification—turning the soul from the shadows of the material world towards the light of the eternal Forms.⁸ The path of Buddhism involves disciplined practices (sadhana) to purify the mind, dismantle the ego, and overcome karmic conditioning, leading to enlightenment (bodhi) or liberation (moksa). This is a process of reintegrating consciousness with its true nature. Jung's process of individuation, a lifelong journey of integrating the conscious ego with the unconscious, particularly the Shadow and the anima/animus, is to realize the Self.¹⁵ European Nietzsche's Übermensch (Overman) is the one who overcomes the nihilism of modern life ("God is dead") by creating his own values and affirming life in its totality, thus "rectifying" humanity's decadent state.²⁸ Sartre's existentialism posits that we are "condemned to be free" and must create our own essence through authentic choices and actions, struggling against the meaninglessness of existence.²⁹ In Biology, living organisms are negentropic systems that maintain and increase their internal order in defiance of the universe's general trend towards entropy.³⁰ Consciousness itself may be the highest form of this ordering process. The observer effect of the Quantum world can be interpreted as consciousness playing a role in "rectifying" the probabilistic quantum world into a single, classical reality.

The Return

This entire system reveals a universal pattern of emanation, fragmentation, and reintegration, mapping esoteric structures onto a Quranic framework. It illustrates the Quran as a metaphysical blueprint for the cosmos, where physical laws and spiritual dynamics are unified. Ultimately, this journey of rectification completes the cycle by returning all of creation to its Source, fulfilling the divine promise: "To Him we will return" (Quran 2:156, 2:285). In Plotinus, the soul, having descended from the One into matter, has an innate yearning to return (epistrophe) through philosophical contemplation, ultimately seeking ecstatic union (henosis) with its source.⁵ This is the same goal of Gnosis (knowledge) that allows the divine spark to escape the prison of the material cosmos and return to the Pleroma (the fullness of the Godhead).⁴ The final stage of the Alchemical Great Work often involves the creation of the "elixir of life" or the sublimation of the Philosopher's Stone, symbolizing a return to a perfected, incorruptible, primordial state.²⁷ The ultimate goal is of Moksa (liberation), in which the individual soul (atman) overcomes the illusion of separateness (maya) and realizes its fundamental identity with the Absolute (Brahman). This breaks the cycle of rebirth (samsara).¹¹ Hegel's history culminates in the Absolute Idea coming to full self-consciousness where the end is a return to the beginning, but with the journey's full development incorporated into it.¹⁷ The universe is evolving toward an "Omega Point," (Teilhard de Chardin) a future state of supreme consciousness and complexity where all individual consciousnesses will be united in a transcendent union.³¹ The "Big Crunch" is a hypothetical scenario where the universe's expansion reverses, collapsing all matter back into a singularity. Cyclical models ("Big Bounce") propose that this is not an end but the start of a new cosmos. As a fundamental principle that energy/mass cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed, the constituents of all beings "return" to the cosmic system from which they arose, echoing "Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we will return" (Quran 96:8).³² This perspective offers a trajectory for reconciling esoteric traditions with modern physics, viewing existence as a negentropic loop governed by divine information.

Alhamdulillah.

References

  1. The Qur'an. A standard translation such as that by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem (Oxford University Press, 2004) is used for all Quranic citations.

  2. Scholem, Gershom. Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism. New York: Schocken Books, 1946. See especially lectures on Isaac Luria and his school.

  3. Copenhaver, Brian P., trans. Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a New English Translation, with Notes and Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. See especially "Poimandres" (CH 1).

  4. Jonas, Hans. The Gnostic Religion: The Message of the Alien God and the Beginnings of Christianity. 2nd ed. Boston: Beacon Press, 1963.

  5. Plotinus. The Enneads. Translated by Stephen MacKenna. London: Penguin, 1991.

  6. The Qur'an, 43:4 and 13:39.

  7. Chittick, William C. The Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn al-'Arabi's Metaphysics of Imagination. Albany: SUNY Press, 1989. (This Hadith Qudsi is a central theme in Ibn 'Arabi's work and widely cited in Sufi metaphysics).

  8. Plato. Republic. Translated by G. M. A. Grube, revised by C.D.C. Reeve. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992. See Book VI, 508e-509b for the Form of the Good.

  9. Aristotle. Metaphysics. Translated by Hugh Lawson-Tancred. London: Penguin, 1998. See Book XII (Lambda).

  10. Avicenna (Ibn Sina). The Metaphysics of The Healing. Translated by Michael E. Marmura. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 2005.

  11. Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli, trans. The Principal Upanisads. London: Allen & Unwin, 1953.

  12. Dee, John. The Hieroglyphic Monad. Translated by J. W. Hamilton-Jones. London: Watkins, 1947.

  13. Spinoza, Benedict de. Ethics. Edited and translated by Edwin Curley. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994. See Part 1, "Concerning God."

  14. Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Translated by Paul Guyer and Allen W. Wood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

  15. Jung, C. G. Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self. Vol. 9, Part 2 of The Collected Works of C.G. Jung. Translated by R. F. C. Hull. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1959.

  16. Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. Translated by James Strachey. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1961.

  17. Hegel, G. W. F. Phenomenology of Spirit. Translated by A. V. Miller. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1977.

  18. Whitehead, Alfred North. Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology. Corrected Edition, edited by David Ray Griffin and Donald W. Sherburne. New York: The Free Press, 1978.

  19. Wheeler, John Archibald. "Information, Physics, Quantum: The Search for Links." In Complexity, Entropy, and the Physics of Information, edited by Wojciech H. Zurek, 3–28. Redwood City, CA: Addison-Wesley, 1990.

  20. The Epic of Creation (Enuma Elish). In Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others, translated by Stephanie Dalley. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.

  21. Guthrie, W. K. C. Orpheus and Greek Religion: A Study of the Orphic Movement. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1952.

  22. Kirk, G. S., J. E. Raven, and M. Schofield. The Presocratic Philosophers: A Critical History with a Selection of Texts. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983. (Contains fragments and commentary on Empedocles).

  23. Plato. Timaeus. Translated by Donald J. Zeyl. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2000.

  24. Al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid. The Niche of Lights (Mishkāt al-Anwār). Translated by David Buchman. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1998.

  25. Freud, Sigmund. The Ego and the Id. Translated by Joan Riviere, revised by James Strachey. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1960.

  26. Boltzmann, Ludwig. "On the Relationship between the Second Fundamental Theorem of the Mechanical Theory of Heat and Probability Calculations Regarding the Conditions for Thermal Equilibrium." In Ludwig Boltzmann: His Later Life and Philosophy, 1900-1906, edited by John Blackmore, 55-66. Dordrecht: Springer, 1995.

  27. Fabricius, Johannes. Alchemy: The Medieval Alchemists and Their Royal Art. London: Diamond Books, 1994.

  28. Nietzsche, Friedrich. Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None. Translated by Walter Kaufmann. New York: Viking Penguin, 1966.

  29. Sartre, Jean-Paul. Being and Nothingness: An Essay on Phenomenological Ontology. Translated by Hazel E. Barnes. New York: Washington Square Press, 1956.

  30. Schrödinger, Erwin. What Is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1944.

  31. Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre. The Phenomenon of Man. Translated by Bernard Wall. New York: Harper & Row, 1959.

  32. Clausius, Rudolf. "On the Moving Force of Heat, and the Laws regarding the Nature of Heat itself which are deducible therefrom." Annalen der Physik 79 (1850): 368–397, 500–524. (Foundational paper on the laws of thermodynamics, including conservation of energy).

Bibliography

Al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid. The Niche of Lights (Mishkāt al-Anwār). Translated by David Buchman. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1998.

Aristotle. Metaphysics. Translated by Hugh Lawson-Tancred. London: Penguin, 1998.

Avicenna (Ibn Sina). The Metaphysics of The Healing. Translated by Michael E. Marmura. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 2005.

Boltzmann, Ludwig. "On the Relationship between the Second Fundamental Theorem of the Mechanical Theory of Heat and Probability Calculations Regarding the Conditions for Thermal Equilibrium." In Ludwig Boltzmann: His Later Life and Philosophy, 1900-1906, edited by John Blackmore, 55-66. Dordrecht: Springer, 1995.

Chittick, William C. The Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn al-'Arabi's Metaphysics of Imagination. Albany: SUNY Press, 1989.

Clausius, Rudolf. "On the Moving Force of Heat, and the Laws regarding the Nature of Heat itself which are deducible therefrom." Annalen der Physik 79 (1850): 368–97, 500–524.

Copenhaver, Brian P., trans. Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a New English Translation, with Notes and Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

Dee, John. The Hieroglyphic Monad. Translated by J. W. Hamilton-Jones. London: Watkins, 1947.

The Epic of Creation (Enuma Elish). In Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others, translated by Stephanie Dalley. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Fabricius, Johannes. Alchemy: The Medieval Alchemists and Their Royal Art. London: Diamond Books, 1994.

Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. Translated by James Strachey. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1961.

Freud, Sigmund. The Ego and the Id. Translated by Joan Riviere, revised by James Strachey. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1960.

Guthrie, W. K. C. Orpheus and Greek Religion: A Study of the Orphic Movement. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1952.

Hegel, G. W. F. Phenomenology of Spirit. Translated by A. V. Miller. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1977.

Jonas, Hans. The Gnostic Religion: The Message of the Alien God and the Beginnings of Christianity. 2nd ed. Boston: Beacon Press, 1963.

Jung, C. G. Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self. Vol. 9, Part 2 of The Collected Works of C.G. Jung. Translated by R. F. C. Hull. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1959.

Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Translated by Paul Guyer and Allen W. Wood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Kirk, G. S., J. E. Raven, and M. Schofield. The Presocratic Philosophers: A Critical History with a Selection of Texts. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None. Translated by Walter Kaufmann. New York: Viking Penguin, 1966.

Plato. Republic. Translated by G. M. A. Grube, revised by C.D.C. Reeve. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992.

Plato. Timaeus. Translated by Donald J. Zeyl. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2000.

Plotinus. The Enneads. Translated by Stephen MacKenna. London: Penguin, 1991.

The Qur'an. Translated by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli, trans. The Principal Upanisads. London: Allen & Unwin, 1953.

Sartre, Jean-Paul. Being and Nothingness: An Essay on Phenomenological Ontology. Translated by Hazel E. Barnes. New York: Washington Square Press, 1956.

Scholem, Gershom. Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism. New York: Schocken Books, 1946.

Schrödinger, Erwin. What Is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1944.

Spinoza, Benedict de. Ethics. Edited and translated by Edwin Curley. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994.

Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre. The Phenomenon of Man. Translated by Bernard Wall. New York: Harper & Row, 1959.

Wheeler, John Archibald. "Information, Physics, Quantum: The Search for Links." In Complexity, Entropy, and the Physics of Information, edited by Wojciech H. Zurek, 3–28. Redwood City, CA: Addison-Wesley, 1990.

Whitehead, Alfred North. Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology. Corrected Edition, edited by David Ray Griffin and Donald W. Sherburne. New York: The Free Press, 1978.

Copyrighted © By ZeroDivided.1.0@gmail.com | 2012-*. Powered by Blogger.