Ft-23
THE UNION OF GOD WITH MAN
Nothing escapes Allah’s knowledge therefore; the wise are those who act accordingly. They feel His presence at all times.
The more someone strengthens his obligatory practices by performing voluntary acts, the more his life conforms to the Sharee’ah, the will of Almighty Allah.
Allah conveyed this principle through Prophet Muhammad (saw) in a Hadeeth saying:
“The most beloved thing with which My slave may come close to me is that which I have made obligatory (Fard) on him. My servant will continue to come closer to me by voluntary acts (of worship) until I love him. If I love him, I will be his hearing by which he hears, his sight by which he sees, his hand by which he grasps, and his foot by which he walks. If he asks Me anything I would give it to him and if he seeks refuge in Me I would protect him.” (Al-Bukhari, vol.8 p336-7, no.509)
This Walee of Allah would only hear, see, grasp and walk to what is Halal (lawful) while conspicuously avoiding all Haram (prohibited) as well as that which leads towards it.
Allah’s love can only be attained by strictly following the directives (Sunnah) of His Apostle (saw) and by carefully avoiding all innovations in religious matters.
Surah 4 Al-Imran (The Family of Imran)
31. If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise).
Roohullaah: The “Spirit” of Allah
“The most beloved thing with which My slave may come close to me is that which I have made obligatory (Fard) on him. My servant will continue to come closer to me by voluntary acts (of worship) until I love him. If I love him, I will be his hearing by which he hears, his sight by which he sees, his hand by which he grasps, and his foot by which he walks. If he asks Me anything I would give it to him and if he seeks refuge in Me I would protect him.” (Al-Bukhari, vol.8 p336-7, no.509)
This Walee of Allah would only hear, see, grasp and walk to what is Halal (lawful) while conspicuously avoiding all Haram (prohibited) as well as that which leads towards it.
Allah’s love can only be attained by strictly following the directives (Sunnah) of His Apostle (saw) and by carefully avoiding all innovations in religious matters.
Surah 4 Al-Imran (The Family of Imran)
31. If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall remit from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance (i.e. Paradise).
Roohullaah: The “Spirit” of Allah
Support for the mystic belief in the re-unification of the human soul with Allah has also been falsely deduced from some verses of the Qur’an itself. The following verses in which Allah said
Surah 32 As-Sajdah (Adoration)
9. Then He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him the soul (created by Allah for that person), and He gave you hearing (ears), sight (eyes) and hearts. Little is the thanks you give!
Surah 38 Sad (The Letter Sad)
72. So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me, then you fall down prostrate to him."
Reference has also been made to Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus) about whose mother Allah said
Suarh 21 Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)
91. And (remember) she who guarded her chastity [Virgin Maryam (Mary)], We breathed into (the sleeves of) her (shirt or garment) [through Our Ruh Jibrael (Gabriel)], and We made her and her son ['Iesa (Jesus)] a sign for Al-'Alamin (the mankind and jinns).
Surah 32 As-Sajdah (Adoration)
9. Then He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him the soul (created by Allah for that person), and He gave you hearing (ears), sight (eyes) and hearts. Little is the thanks you give!
Surah 38 Sad (The Letter Sad)
72. So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me, then you fall down prostrate to him."
Reference has also been made to Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus) about whose mother Allah said
Suarh 21 Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)
91. And (remember) she who guarded her chastity [Virgin Maryam (Mary)], We breathed into (the sleeves of) her (shirt or garment) [through Our Ruh Jibrael (Gabriel)], and We made her and her son ['Iesa (Jesus)] a sign for Al-'Alamin (the mankind and jinns).
Surah 66 At-Tahreem (The Prohibition)
12. And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of 'Imran who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Ruh [i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel)], and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord [i.e. believed in the Words of Allah: "Be!" and he was; that is 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary); as a Messenger of Allah], and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qanitin (i.e. obedient to Allah).
Thus it is believed among mystics that this divine eternal spirit within man yearns to reunite with its origin from whence it came
As for the spirit (Rooh), it is one of Allah’s creations. Allah states in the Qur’an
Surah 17 Al-Isra (The Night Journey)
85. And they ask you (O Muhammad (saw)) concerning the Ruh (the Spirit); Say: "The Ruh (the Spirit): it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little."
Islam does not consider God to be an incorporeal Spirit, as do some religions like Christianity
12. And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of 'Imran who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Ruh [i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel)], and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord [i.e. believed in the Words of Allah: "Be!" and he was; that is 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary); as a Messenger of Allah], and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qanitin (i.e. obedient to Allah).
Thus it is believed among mystics that this divine eternal spirit within man yearns to reunite with its origin from whence it came
As for the spirit (Rooh), it is one of Allah’s creations. Allah states in the Qur’an
Surah 17 Al-Isra (The Night Journey)
85. And they ask you (O Muhammad (saw)) concerning the Ruh (the Spirit); Say: "The Ruh (the Spirit): it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little."
Islam does not consider God to be an incorporeal Spirit, as do some religions like Christianity
He has neither corporeal body nor is He a formless spirit.
He has a form befitting His Majesty, the like of which no man has ever seen or conceived
And which will only be seen (to the degree of man’s finite limitations) by the people of paradise
When Allah refers to the blowing of a spirit from Himself into prophets Adam and ‘Eesa (Jesus), special honor is given to their created spirits due to the prominence of Prophet Adam’s position in relation to the rest of mankind and to clarify the confusion regarding Maryam’s (Mary) virgin birth of Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus)
Even Allah’s attribution of the act of blowing to Himself, is in fact, a clarification of His Will and Supreme Power, for it is the angels who actually insert and extract souls in to man.
He has a form befitting His Majesty, the like of which no man has ever seen or conceived
And which will only be seen (to the degree of man’s finite limitations) by the people of paradise
When Allah refers to the blowing of a spirit from Himself into prophets Adam and ‘Eesa (Jesus), special honor is given to their created spirits due to the prominence of Prophet Adam’s position in relation to the rest of mankind and to clarify the confusion regarding Maryam’s (Mary) virgin birth of Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus)
Even Allah’s attribution of the act of blowing to Himself, is in fact, a clarification of His Will and Supreme Power, for it is the angels who actually insert and extract souls in to man.
This fact is evident from the following Hadeeth of Ibn Mas’oud who reported that Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “Verily your creation is combined in your mother’s womb for forty days in the form of an oily fluid, then as a leech-like clot for a similar period and as a clump of flesh for another similar period. Then an angel is sent to him to blow the spirit into him…” (Al-Bukhari vol.4 p290-1 no. 430and Muslim vol.4 p1391 no.6390)
Allah has the spirit blown into every human by one of His angels. By saying that ‘He blew’, Allah in fact reminds us that He is the primary cause of all that takes place in creation, as He said:
Surah 37 As-Saffat (Those Ranged in Ranks)
96. "While Allah has created you and what you make!"
Just prior to the Battle of Badr the Prophet (saw) threw a handful of dust at the enemy ranks assembled hundreds of yards away, but Allah caused some of the dust particles o miraculously reach all eyes of the enemy.
Allah referred to the Prophet’s action as follows:
Surah 8 Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)
17. You killed them not, but Allah killed them. And you (Muhammad SAW) threw not when you did throw but Allah threw, that He might test the believers by a fair trial from Him. Verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Allah also refers to the Angels sent to inform Maryam as “His spirit”
Surah 19 Maryam (Mary)
17. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibrael (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.
The Qur’an is a totality. Its verses explain themselves and the sayings and practices of the Prophet (saw) further clarify its meanings. When verses are taken out of context, the meanings of the Qur’an can easily be distorted.
Just prior to the Battle of Badr the Prophet (saw) threw a handful of dust at the enemy ranks assembled hundreds of yards away, but Allah caused some of the dust particles o miraculously reach all eyes of the enemy.
Allah referred to the Prophet’s action as follows:
Surah 8 Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)
17. You killed them not, but Allah killed them. And you (Muhammad SAW) threw not when you did throw but Allah threw, that He might test the believers by a fair trial from Him. Verily, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Allah also refers to the Angels sent to inform Maryam as “His spirit”
Surah 19 Maryam (Mary)
17. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh [angel Jibrael (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.
The Qur’an is a totality. Its verses explain themselves and the sayings and practices of the Prophet (saw) further clarify its meanings. When verses are taken out of context, the meanings of the Qur’an can easily be distorted.
For example:
Surah 107 Al-Maa’oon (Small Kindnesses)
4. So woe unto those performers of Salat (prayers)
This verse by itself is in total contradiction to the rest of the Qur’an and Islam. Salah has been made obligatory throughout the Qur’an. However, the verses which follow it clarify the intended meaning as:
Surah 107 Al-Maa’oon (Small Kindnesses)
5. Who delay their Salat (prayer) from their stated fixed times,
6. Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men),
7. And refuse Al-Ma'un (small kindnesses e.g. salt, sugar, water, etc.).
In Islam, there is no distinction between the Arabic term Rooh (spirit – pl. Arwaah) and Nafs (soul – pl. Anfus) with respect to man except that when it is connected to the body it is usually referred to as Nafs.
In the Qur’an Allah (swt) states:
Surah 39 Az-Zumar (The Troops)
42. It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed. Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.
The successful souls will be made to enter paradise as Allah said to the righteous souls
Surah 89 Al-Fajr (The Daybreak)
27. (It will be said to the pious): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction!
28. "Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him!
29. "Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves,
30. "And enter you My Paradise!"
Thus, in the end, the righteous human soul will not become extinguished in God nor unite with His Supreme Being, but will remain a finite spirit reunited with a finite body enjoying the pleasures of paradise for as long as Allah wishes.
DUA TO ALLAH AZAWAJAL
O Allah! Protector of our Hearts, keep our hearts firm in your true and pure deen, and send your blessings upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wa sallam).
ALLAHUMMA AAMEEN
Surah 89 Al-Fajr (The Daybreak)
27. (It will be said to the pious): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction!
28. "Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him!
29. "Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves,
30. "And enter you My Paradise!"
Thus, in the end, the righteous human soul will not become extinguished in God nor unite with His Supreme Being, but will remain a finite spirit reunited with a finite body enjoying the pleasures of paradise for as long as Allah wishes.
DUA TO ALLAH AZAWAJAL
O Allah! Protector of our Hearts, keep our hearts firm in your true and pure deen, and send your blessings upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wa sallam).
ALLAHUMMA AAMEEN
