Countless Benefits of Divine Remembrance

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Ya Ali Madad and Laylat al-Qadr Mubarak! On this Holy Night, may Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam shower his immense baraqa by opening the Door of Enlightenment for all seekers of his Noor, and may this Noor ease the path of the returning the soul to its origin! Ameen.

Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad
(O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants).

Introduction

This post has seven headings :

1. Ayats and Commentary on Surah Alaq (97:1-5);
2. Ayat and Commentary on Surah Az-Zumur (39:23);
3. Second Commentary on Surah Az-Zumur (39:23);
4. Third Commentary on Surah Az-Zumur (39:23);
5. Teaching of Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.);
6. e-Resources for Laylat al-Qadr & Idd-ul Fitr; and
7. Global prayers and Three Grand Aspirations.

1. Ayats and Commentary on Surah Al-Alaq (97:1-5)

Let us first read the first 5 ayats of Surah Al-Alaq:

Read³⁰⁹⁵ thou! (O Our Apostle Muhammad!) In the name of thy Lord Who created (Everything in the Universe). He created man from a clot! Recite (O Our Apostle Muhammad!) And thy Lord is the Most Honourable!. (He) Who taught (to write with Pen, (He) taught man what he knew not!

Holy Qur’an 97:1-5

Here is an excerpt from the footnote for ayat 97:1 from S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali’s translation which gives details of the spirituality and luminosity of the Holy Prophet:

Vr. 1. (3095) The first five verses of this Chapter (Surah), are generally considered to the the first part of Quran revealed to the Holy Prophet. There are various stories about the way and manner in which Angel Gabriel brought these verses and the Holy Prophet’s reaction to the first appearance of Gabriel with the revelation, including reference to Waraqa ibne Naufil—and his giving assurances to the Holy Prophet and to Khadija that what was experienced was certainly divine—are the mixture with wishful imagination of those who were far from appreciating the Holy Prophet’s communion with God and his angels. The description of the Holy Prophet’s life from his birth to the age of forty when he was commissioned to deliver the last Word of God to mankind given briefly by Ali, mentioned in Nahjul-Balaaghah, discredits all these stories.

The Holy Prophet was under the divine care, being taught and trained, since his birth he was fully aware to the task of the ministry which awaited him, blest with Divine Light and guidance in all aspects of his life. Not only the Holy Prophet was aware of the whole situation, even the young disciple Ali who used to follow the footsteps of the Holy Prophet, since his birth, would experience the light of revelation and would sense the task which his Master was about to be commissioned with. There was no question of the Holy Prophet being surprised, fearing or doubting or shivering or in the need of Khadija’s or Waraqa’s consolation or certification.

[In these verses] ‘Iqra‘ implies that he [the Holy Prophet Muhammad] was in know of all the names of God and they implied the various aspects of creation and legislation. In short, he was in the Know of the Book of God. He was just ordered to read. Otherwise it is not reasonable to order a person who cannot read, to read. Rnv. 20:114—75:16-19. The third verse again repeats the order to read—and in the 4 and 5 expressively says that God has taught by the means of the divines, Pen—taught man whatever he did not know, and if this verse is read with ayats 55:1-4, it become clear that the person who was sent to represent the universal grace (as the Rahmatun lil-Aalameen) for all the worlds was already taught by Rahman simultaneously with his creation.

S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali. 1995. The Holy Qur’an. Second Edition. p-.1881-2

2. Ayat and Commentary on Surah Az-Zumur (39:23)

This ayat reads as follows:

“God²¹¹⁶ hath sent down the best recital, a Book consistent (in its parts) with iteration, at which do shudder the skins of those who fear their Lord, then get
softened their skins and their hearts unto the remembrance of God; This is God’s
guidance, guideth He with it whomsoever He willeth; and whomsoever alloweth
God to stray, for him there is no guide.

Holy Qur’an 39:23

Let us study the footnote for this ayat from S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali’s translation.

Vr. 23. (2116) The Holy Quran was already given to the Holy Prophet. He was created with the knowledge of it, (Rv. 55:1-5). He was the First in the creation of the Lord. The Beneficent Lord Himself taught him the Quran. …The revelation of the Quran to the Holy Prophet was gradual, as the Lord deemed it to be delivered to the people in the order suiting the occasions of the demand—20:114. Even after the arrival of the Holy Prophet on earth, the Holy Quran was sent down as a whole—Rnv. 2:185 (Surah Al-Baqarah) and 97:1 (Surah Al-Qadr).

… Said the Holy Prophet ‘if any one trembles, fearing God’s wrath against his sins, it would shed out his sins, off the individual’s account as the dried leaves are dropped away from a tree’. And also he said ‘On the Day of Judgment every eye would be terrified and awe-stricken save he eyes which will be happy and rejoicing: (1) which wept for the fear of God, (2) which lowered itself, i.e., shut itself against seeing things forbidden by God, and (3) which kept awake praying during the night.’

S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali. 1995. The Holy Qur’an. Second Edition. p.1390

The above commentary shows that tauba (repentance) and taqwa (purity) are fundamental pillars of faith.

3. Second Commentary on Surah Az-Zumur (39:23)

Let us study a deeper tawil (inner meaning) of this ayat:

In verse (39:23) there is praise of the Holy Quran externally and of the ism-i azam internally, because the chosen ones remember Him by His ism-i azam, which is “ahsanu’l-hadith’ (the best speech)”, and is from God. it is a book full of tawil which is read repeatedly and by its regular dhikr, the bodies of those who fear God tremble, then their bodies and hearts become tender and tend to miraculous dhikr of Allah.

A Thousand wisdoms pp33-34, No. 30

We have learned from Part 1 that our Holy Prophet was endowed with the knowledge of all the Divine Names through the practice of ism-i azam. In our own personal search and during the vigil of Laylat- al-Qadr, we first purify and soften our souls through collective dhikr, and participation in singing or listening to Holy Ginans and Qasidas. These activities soften and expand our souls. Then, we conduct personal search for higher spiritual enlightenment through the practice of ism-i azam. Through ism-i azam we enter the World of Majesty (Jabarut) and get the luminosity of the Holy Quran and the Holy Imam, simultaneously, because these are inseparable.

4. Third Commentary on Surah Az-Zumur (39:23)

Let us study an even more deeper tawil (inner meaning) of this ayat:

It is very amazing that the bodies shake under the influence of the dhikr of ism-i azam, or the Supreme Name. That is, the state of spiritual quake occurs to them. This shows that one of adhkar (pl. of dhikr) is called bodily dhikr (dhikr-i badani). However, a question arises: What is in the body? The answer is that the body is comprised of cells. Further, what is the cells? The answer is countess souls. The last question is whose souls are they? The answer is that they are the souls of the people of the earth, in which all of us are included.

A Thousand wisdoms p,34, No. 31

Noor Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah, in the book, Memoirs of Aga Khan, has taught us the following:

Islamic doctrine goes farther than the other great religions for it proclaims the presence of the soul, perhaps minute but nevertheless existing in an embryonic state in all existence in matter, in animals, trees, and space itself. Every individual, every molecule, every atom has its own spiritual relationship with the All-Powerful Soul of God.

Memoirs of Aga Khan, p.177

Therefore, In each person’s soul, there are representative particles of souls of other souls. These soul particles are dormant and can be activated with Holy Ginans, Qasidas, dhikr and ism-i azam. When activated, these soul particles oscillate and increase their amplitude. When these particles come in contact with each other and one another, the physical body starts to shake. Internally, this activation shows that our soul is advancing spiritually. This also shows that the healing power through spirituality is immense and has a tremendous potential of reaching humanity.

Another insight from the above quotation is that we are all spiritually connected with the soul of the Holy Imam. Reflect on the blessings of our Holy Imam when he says that all of you are in my heart, thoughts and prayers. These are blessings upon blessings! Shukran Lillah Wal Hamdu Lillah!

5. Teaching of Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.)

In the following saying, NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) has described how the Lord guides his devoted believers from darkness into light. We have to awaken and enlighten the soul through dhikr and ism-i azam in order to propel it in the next world.

Remember that for those who fear God, He will find ways and means to keep them out of mischief and troubles, out of vices and impieties and out of temptations and trials. He will guide them out of darkness into light. He will bestow upon them His Bounties in this world and in the Heavens, He will grant them such an exalted place that it will be in the vicinity of His Throne, will be lighted with Divine light, and will have angels, prophets, and saints as visitors and neighbours.

Nahjul Balagha: Sermons, letters and saying of Hazrat Ali (Second American edition, 1981), Sayings of Hazrat Ali Khutba 188, p. 150.

May Mowla grant us the true understanding of the purpose for which we have descended to this world and may He grant us avenues to enter into the realm of light. Ameen.

6. e-Resources for Laylat al-Qadr & Idd-ul Fitr

Here is the link to the resources for The Night of Grandeur:

Please read the following article:

7. Global Prayers and Three Grand Aspirations

Through the barakat of recitation of Holy Quran, Qasidas, Holy Ginans and voluminous prayers and Angelic Salwat by many, many individuals of the global Jamat, O Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam, bless the global Jamat with:

1. Spiritual and luminous tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually;
2. Sunshine in our spiritual hearts and actualization of the inner vision of the Truth;
3. Empowerment to present a Material Nazrana of time, knowledge and financial resources;
4. Empowerment to present a Spiritual Nazrana in the form of a pure heart which is in a state of constant dhikr; and
5. Empowerment to present a Luminous Nazrana in the form of a sound heart (qalb-i salim) which is in a state of constant dhikr and enlightenment.

May Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam expand every murid’s spiritual heart, fill it with his NOOR and enable it to perform the spiritual prostration of the heart on this Holy Night!

Laylat al-Qadr Mubarak!

Ardent Prayers for Laylat al-Qadr

Angelic Salwat Supplication

Let us now start supplicating with angelic salwat, Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad (O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants) to our beloved NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam for mushkil aasan for material and spiritual upliftment.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful