بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
و الصلاة و السلام على أشرف المرسلين
و على اله و اصحابه أجمعين
Notes from Mudhakara of Shaykh Sidi Mohamed Faouzi Al-Karkari
July 9th, 2023
The highest level of vision: The vision of the Example of Allah’s Light
Sidi Shaykh started by mentioning the beginning of verse 35 of Surah An-Nur: “God is the Light of the heavens and the earth.”
He explained that this verse means during dhikr, one can see what exists in the heavens and the earth. However, those who witness the Divine Light instead, are at a more advanced level. This Light represents the reality of all the creatures in the heavens and the earth. Therefore, experiencing the vision of the Light is a profound and important aspect of the journey.
Allah ﷻ exemplified this Light with four examples. In the next part of the same verse, He said: “The parable of His Light is a niche, wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as a shining star.”
Sidi Shaykh made it clearer that in wayfaring, the main objective for the disciple is to attain the knowledge of Allah ﷻ through the steps prescribed by Allah ﷻ for him and not to follow steps that will get him lost.
When one sees the niche (mishkat), then moves to the vision of the lamp (misbah) from the glass (zujaja), and then the example of Allah’s Light ends at the shining star (kawkab al-durri), this is higher than the one who sees the creatures of the heavens and the earth.
The heavens and what they contain from creatures cannot be limited, as two consecutive heavens are separated by 500 years. So, if the disciple follows the images of what is included in heavens and the earth he dies before finishing what is hidden in the first heaven, what to say about the second and third heavens etc. The disciple should focus then on what leads him to know the Creator of all creatures not creatures themselves.
How to differentiate between illusions and the vision of the Divine Light
Sidi Shaykh highlighted the increasing involvement of scientific minds within the Tariqa, with some of them engaging in research and investigations concerning the vision of the Divine Light. Some of these researchers might say that visions of the Divine Light experienced by disciples are simply optical reflections—when one sits down, closes his eyes in a peaceful place, he perceives what is reflected upon his sight.
Sidi Shaykh stated that if this was true and the visions were just optical reflections, these reflections would remain constant and do not change in size, they cannot get bigger or smaller.
If visions were simply optical reflections, they would not provide a comprehensive understanding of the various stages of creation from its beginning to its ultimate completion. Additionally, if this were the case, all of humanity would rely on optical reflections to comprehend how Allah ﷻ created everything, instead of utilizing the opening of insight (bassira) to contemplate Allah’s creation.
Therefore, if what one sees is related to the Sunnah, it cannot be associated with imagination or optical reflections, but if it does not correspond to what Allah the Almighty, has ordered through the words of the Prophet ﷺ, then one has the right to criticize what he perceives. The benchmark remains the Shari’ah, this is the way to distinguish reality from illusion and imagination.
Sidi Shaykh said that all what comes to a person’s mind from illusion and imagination exists but it is considered as an illness, and the main duty is to cure it and purify it, until one’s state becomes aligned with what is in the Quran and Sunnah.
Tariqa Karkariya: A scientific approach based on the science of the Prophet ﷺ
Sidi Shaykh returned to talk about the different types of visions. He said that in the Tariqa, it’s not about seeing what is hidden in the universe from creatures. Instead, it’s a scientific approach, and by scientific approach it’s not about physics or biology, but a scientific Prophetic Ahmadian Divine approach, and that’s it. This approach is centered around the example of The Divine Light. When one fixes this example in his heart, he possesses a key to enter on the Blessed Tree. From here comes the magnification (ta’dhim) of the example of the Divine Light.
Sidi Shaykh went on to give a detailed explanation about the approach of the Prophetic science.
He said that the heavens and the earth are physical and material objects; they are soil, heat, fire, water. This the composition, was it earth or heaven. When Allah ﷻ wanted to define his Light, he said that His Light is the origin of any material, even humans are materials and do exist because of Allah’s Light.
The human body as a concrete example to comprehend the science of the Prophet ﷺ
Sidi Shaykh said that one can think about the human (al-insan) as flesh, fat and blood, etc. This is not science (´ilm), this is a trace of the science (athar al-´ilm) because the human body is a trace produced by the Light, and this is its lowest trace. When someone begins to perceive humans not merely as flesh and fat, but instead starts to consider what Allah ﷻ has instilled within him, he realizes how the human comes into existence and lives for a certain period on earth. Then he transitions to the grave (qabr), followed by a period in the isthmus (barzakh), then to the Day of Resurrection (hachr), and ultimately to eternal life (khouloud) in either paradise or hell.
This is when he is considered to have a certain level of knowledge. Otherwise, he is considered ignorant and veiled from the knowledge bestowed by Allah, the Almighty. Understanding the human body as a machine is comparable to perceiving humans as robots. However, this perspective only represents a portion of human composition. The most significant and essential part of the human is the Divine breath (nafkha ruhia) which leads to the knowledge of Allah ﷻ.
If humans are seen just as physical beings without acknowledging the spiritual aspect, it will not result in any knowledge of Allah ﷻ. The clear and concrete evidence of this is that there are people with high academic degrees, such as PhDs, professors etc. who prostrates for racks and cows. What are the benefits of this science and academic knowledge if it doesn’t help to realize that humans are just creatures created by the Creator? If this knowledge doesn’t lead to worshiping Allah in the way He desires, what purpose does it serve?
Therefore, if one’s academic knowledge leads him to realize the knowledge of the Creator then his knowledge was a steed for him to the Divine Presence, otherwise it’s not even considered as knowledge.
Conclusion
Sidi Shaykh finished this part of the Mudhakara with the same part of the verse of An-Nur that he started with: “God is the Light of the heavens and the earth.”
He stated that when Allah said this, it’s intended for the creatures in the heavens and the earth, so that when they think and meditate about the heavens and earth, they realize that their origin is Light. If one doesn’t reach Allah’s Light with his reflection and meditation, his reflection is rejected.
This is the approach of the Tariqa, the main objective is that the person knows Allah the Almighty, not to become an engineer, a doctor or a physician without knowing his Lord.