My friend Ajmal Bhopal wrote something in his blog about an event suggesting that" God still speaks with human beings" which was misunderstood by some.
Since I cannot write in Urdu so I am taking the liberty of writing in my own blog of what I have written and studied about this process. (originally in response to an article that was published by a prof. of Neurology in an esteemed journal of Neurology called "Epilepsia" in 1976.)
First, he (Ajmal) is absolutely right 100% that Wahi has been stopped with the passing of Muhammad Rasool-ullah peace be upon him. Except Mirza Ghulam Ahmad all Muslims believe in that fact even though Mirza saheb also initially believed "La nabiyya b'adee" hadeeth.
That does not mean Allah SWT has stopped guiding people.
Anyway Wahi is a form of divine inspiration meant for guidance of man-kind and is given to those chosen human beings we call Prophets or Nabi and Rasool so that they convey that to the mankind.
Best description of Wahy to understand comes from
1. "Nor does he say (aught) of his own desire. It is no less than an inspiration sent down to him (Sura Najm-53rd, aya 3 and 4.)
2. "....and will put MY words into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall comman d him to." (Deutronomy 18:18, see in James' version of Bible)
Imam Ibn-el-Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah has written a lot about Wahi and describes 7 known methods of how wahi 'decended' on Muhammad PBUH. (from Qur'an Majeed and Ahadeeth).
(Muslim ulama differentiate between Wahi that is recited (matloo and ghair matloo) and that which is not recited.)
(From Page 330 to 333 Vol III, Seeratun-Nabi by Shibli Nu'mani/Sulaiman Nadawi)
1. Ruya-e-Sadiqa (true dreams)
2. Nafatha fir-Rau' or Ilqaa fil-qalb (Planting some fact into the heart)
3. Salsala-tul-Jars (Sound of Bells ringing)
4. Tamaththul ( Angel appearing in some person's form)
5. Farishtay ka apni asli soorst main nazar aana (Appearance of Angel in his own angelic form)
6. Meraj ka mukalma (Method where God Talked directly to the prophet PBUH)
7. Direct (Bila waasta mukalma) method of talking
Then there are inspirational experiences of other persons which are not wahi as we understand from the above
Examples are
Paul (Saul, initially not a follower of Jesus PBUH but later he says he converted after inspirational experience), For no better word let me call his teachings as "Paulism" rather than true teachings of Jesus PBUH.
Joseph Smith (Mormonism)
Mirza Ghulam Ahmed (Ahmedi or Mirzai religion) who 'claimed' he recieved " wahi"
Iqbal (Allama Iqbal's Poetry called "aamad" is or can be considered a form of non-religious ispirational experience.
And there are a host of other experiences which we can call "Ilham" or 'Kashf' etc. Here I need not go into their exact nature but suffice it to say these are also "divine inspirations" in the sense that these are from God and that there is a hint an "Ishara" for something related to what one is confronted with, rather than a whole set of instructions like we see in Qur'an. Those of you who know the difference between Hadeeth-e-Qudsi and Qur'an would know what I am talking about. This may not be a place for me to write in detail about those ahadeeth. As I said I am refraining from discussion on "Unrecited Wahi"
I would like to remind the science students who know of the "benzene ring" which was the result of a scientist's 'dream' in which he saw six snales joined at mouth and tail together forming ring. I consider that Ilham, and also the thought that formed the basis of Gravitational pull when Issac Newton saw the apple dropping.
Kashf is another word which is also a "hint" which may or may not be direct. You will know the Arabic meanings of that word. Have a look at the descriptions in tafasir as both these words appear in Qur'an (Sura Shams 91st sura aya8 and Surah 16, Aya 54 also seeSura 50 aya 22). The "auliya-allah" claim those 'kashf' which is NOT wahi but a hint on something
I will refrain from the Shaitan's "wasaawas" because many of you have alredy hinted toward that subject. However it is upto the piety of of the derwaish or wali-ullah which helps in differentiating between such "Ilahams and kashf experiences". We also have been told of the stories of some dewaishes and wali-ullahs who were seduced by Shaitan and led away from the 'sirat-e-mustaqeem' and I guess anybody can fall into that trap.
BUT the true Nabi is different who is fully confident and aware of the responsibility of the weight of the revelation (wahi) and 100% clear about it.
I have made some discussion on that subject in the study of Sura Najm which in my understanding is a very remarakble sura about this subject of what wahi is what wahi is not. Interestingly the exalted author of Qura'an, Allah SWT has done Himself a 'differential diagnosis of wahi in the first Rukoo' (especially the mentioning of Lat, Manat and Uzza and the hadeeth-al-Gharaneeq. The real Satanic Verses)
Next the wahi to Musa's mother, Marayam and to the Bee, the meanings are self-evident as that is reference to "fitrat" of Bee and Guidance for the two exalted women mentioned, on the basis of which some would suggest these women should be considered 'nabi' but that raises more questions so I'll not mention any more than saying that it was "Ilqa filqalb".
Lastly let me quote another example of today's experiences how God does speak to human beings.
!. Ask Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens, the English singer and performer) how he became a Muslim
2. One recent Muslimah in our area explains: she was confused about what to believe in the church and where or who God is so one day at home she asked "God give me some indication where should I be guided" She suddenly was hit on the head by a book falling from shelf in her house. The book was a "Qur'an' copy left by one Muslim ex-lodger in their house who had forgotten the book when he left the house some time earlier. Wow, she said. Study then led her to accepting Islam.
I dont know what to call it. It is certainly not wahi but definitely a guidance. Of course there are more examples many of you can come up with. Bhopal saheb's 'story' did not surprise me at all.
Would be happy to answer questions because I have written in summery form.
Since I cannot write in Urdu so I am taking the liberty of writing in my own blog of what I have written and studied about this process. (originally in response to an article that was published by a prof. of Neurology in an esteemed journal of Neurology called "Epilepsia" in 1976.)
First, he (Ajmal) is absolutely right 100% that Wahi has been stopped with the passing of Muhammad Rasool-ullah peace be upon him. Except Mirza Ghulam Ahmad all Muslims believe in that fact even though Mirza saheb also initially believed "La nabiyya b'adee" hadeeth.
That does not mean Allah SWT has stopped guiding people.
Anyway Wahi is a form of divine inspiration meant for guidance of man-kind and is given to those chosen human beings we call Prophets or Nabi and Rasool so that they convey that to the mankind.
Best description of Wahy to understand comes from
1. "Nor does he say (aught) of his own desire. It is no less than an inspiration sent down to him (Sura Najm-53rd, aya 3 and 4.)
2. "....and will put MY words into his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall comman d him to." (Deutronomy 18:18, see in James' version of Bible)
Imam Ibn-el-Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah has written a lot about Wahi and describes 7 known methods of how wahi 'decended' on Muhammad PBUH. (from Qur'an Majeed and Ahadeeth).
(Muslim ulama differentiate between Wahi that is recited (matloo and ghair matloo) and that which is not recited.)
(From Page 330 to 333 Vol III, Seeratun-Nabi by Shibli Nu'mani/Sulaiman Nadawi)
1. Ruya-e-Sadiqa (true dreams)
2. Nafatha fir-Rau' or Ilqaa fil-qalb (Planting some fact into the heart)
3. Salsala-tul-Jars (Sound of Bells ringing)
4. Tamaththul ( Angel appearing in some person's form)
5. Farishtay ka apni asli soorst main nazar aana (Appearance of Angel in his own angelic form)
6. Meraj ka mukalma (Method where God Talked directly to the prophet PBUH)
7. Direct (Bila waasta mukalma) method of talking
Then there are inspirational experiences of other persons which are not wahi as we understand from the above
Examples are
Paul (Saul, initially not a follower of Jesus PBUH but later he says he converted after inspirational experience), For no better word let me call his teachings as "Paulism" rather than true teachings of Jesus PBUH.
Joseph Smith (Mormonism)
Mirza Ghulam Ahmed (Ahmedi or Mirzai religion) who 'claimed' he recieved " wahi"
Iqbal (Allama Iqbal's Poetry called "aamad" is or can be considered a form of non-religious ispirational experience.
And there are a host of other experiences which we can call "Ilham" or 'Kashf' etc. Here I need not go into their exact nature but suffice it to say these are also "divine inspirations" in the sense that these are from God and that there is a hint an "Ishara" for something related to what one is confronted with, rather than a whole set of instructions like we see in Qur'an. Those of you who know the difference between Hadeeth-e-Qudsi and Qur'an would know what I am talking about. This may not be a place for me to write in detail about those ahadeeth. As I said I am refraining from discussion on "Unrecited Wahi"
I would like to remind the science students who know of the "benzene ring" which was the result of a scientist's 'dream' in which he saw six snales joined at mouth and tail together forming ring. I consider that Ilham, and also the thought that formed the basis of Gravitational pull when Issac Newton saw the apple dropping.
Kashf is another word which is also a "hint" which may or may not be direct. You will know the Arabic meanings of that word. Have a look at the descriptions in tafasir as both these words appear in Qur'an (Sura Shams 91st sura aya8 and Surah 16, Aya 54 also seeSura 50 aya 22). The "auliya-allah" claim those 'kashf' which is NOT wahi but a hint on something
I will refrain from the Shaitan's "wasaawas" because many of you have alredy hinted toward that subject. However it is upto the piety of of the derwaish or wali-ullah which helps in differentiating between such "Ilahams and kashf experiences". We also have been told of the stories of some dewaishes and wali-ullahs who were seduced by Shaitan and led away from the 'sirat-e-mustaqeem' and I guess anybody can fall into that trap.
BUT the true Nabi is different who is fully confident and aware of the responsibility of the weight of the revelation (wahi) and 100% clear about it.
I have made some discussion on that subject in the study of Sura Najm which in my understanding is a very remarakble sura about this subject of what wahi is what wahi is not. Interestingly the exalted author of Qura'an, Allah SWT has done Himself a 'differential diagnosis of wahi in the first Rukoo' (especially the mentioning of Lat, Manat and Uzza and the hadeeth-al-Gharaneeq. The real Satanic Verses)
Next the wahi to Musa's mother, Marayam and to the Bee, the meanings are self-evident as that is reference to "fitrat" of Bee and Guidance for the two exalted women mentioned, on the basis of which some would suggest these women should be considered 'nabi' but that raises more questions so I'll not mention any more than saying that it was "Ilqa filqalb".
Lastly let me quote another example of today's experiences how God does speak to human beings.
!. Ask Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens, the English singer and performer) how he became a Muslim
2. One recent Muslimah in our area explains: she was confused about what to believe in the church and where or who God is so one day at home she asked "God give me some indication where should I be guided" She suddenly was hit on the head by a book falling from shelf in her house. The book was a "Qur'an' copy left by one Muslim ex-lodger in their house who had forgotten the book when he left the house some time earlier. Wow, she said. Study then led her to accepting Islam.
I dont know what to call it. It is certainly not wahi but definitely a guidance. Of course there are more examples many of you can come up with. Bhopal saheb's 'story' did not surprise me at all.
Would be happy to answer questions because I have written in summery form.
5 comments:
Hello ,
I hope you are fine and carrying on the great work you have been doing for the Pakistani side of WWW. I am Ghazala Khan from The Paksitani Spectator (TPS), We at TPS throw a candid look on everything happening in and for Pakistan. We are trying to contribute our humble share in the blogistan.
We at TPS are carrying out a new series of interviews with the notable Pakistani bloggers. In that regard, we would like to interview you, if you dont mind. Please send me your approval for your interview at pak.spectator at gmail.com, so that I could send you the questions. We would be extremely grateful. We have done many interviews with many bloggers from Pakistan like Dr. Awab, Kashif Aziz, Fahd Mirza and host of others.
regards.
Ghazala Khan
The Pakistani Spectator
pakspectator.blogspot.com
AA
Thank you for the question. I am an humble Muslim and not a scholar. Other than "senior citizen" and having lived in Pakistan, England and USA I cannot claim to be a "notable blogger but if you insist that it will be useful in "Bloggistan" you have my permission.
Dear uncle,
I treausre this post but please also post Ajmal Bhopal's web address
Mystic please see
iftikharajmal@urdutech.com (Urdu)
or iabhopal@wordpress.com (English)I am sure you will enjoy.
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