Candle Posts :: Motivational Gems for Higher Spiritual Enlightenment

:: Candle Post #23 :: What is the Teaching of Mowla Ali (a.s.) on Bandagi and Meraj? ::

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

Ya Ali Madad. In verse 171 of Kal?m? Mowl?, NOOR Mowlana Murtaz? Ali (a.s.) explains that luminous prayer (bandagi) (with a luminous word at a luminous time) leads to spiritual elevation. This is the mechanism which the lover of Soul (Ruh) and Light (Noor) uses to meet the Beloved. The transliteration and translation of the verse is as follows:

Rean martabâ bohot badâ hey,
sab khalkat pâwê ârâm,
Pir payegambar walee Oleeâ,
rât bandagisê sab pâa nâm,
The status of night is great (because it contains a luminous hour).
The entire creation attains rest during the night.
Pirs, Prophets, Friends and Saints,
attained a lofty status through luminous prayers (bandagi).
Merâj rasul bhee râtmê (n) pâyâ,
âshak wasal pâwê mâshuk,
Jo tu(n) sâcha âshak hey,
to rean bandagisê mat chuk .....171
The Messenger also attained Merâj (ascension) at night
and the lover attains union with the Beloved (through luminous prayer).
If you are a true lover (of Soul and Light),
then do not miss the night's luminous prayer (bandagi) .....171

It is important to first recognize the position of the Holy Imam from a perspective of Light (Luminosity). This is defined as follows:

Ta'wil of word 'Abad' (Timelessness, Hazaratu'l-qudus):
'The sacred Sanctuary, i.e. the greatest treasure of secrets is in the light of the forehead of the manifest Imam, where God has gathered together all things related to intellect, knowledge, recognition and spirituality. The same sacred light also rises in the forehead of the perfect arif (a knowledgeable person) for the sake of recognition. Thus, azal (pre-eternity), abad (post-eternity) and other realities are gathered together and centered in the enclosure of the light of the forehead.'"

(Source: Tawil number 13, A Thousand Wisdoms: An Encyclopaedia of Tawil, p. 25)

Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam exists in four places; (1) in this world, he has a body; (2) in the Spirit world, he is a great soul; (3) in the world of Light (Jabarut), he is a great light; and (4) in the world of Oneness, he is monoreal (i.e., he is at a place where all realities become one reality). Therefore, as we have performed the baiyat of the Holy Imam, we can also be actually present with him at all levels provided we develop relationships with him at all the four levels.

In order to develop the relationship with the Holy Imam at the level of Light, a murid has to perform bandagi with the luminous word (bol) given to him/her by the Holy Imam. Therefore, it is most important for the murid to first know about the four levels of recognition of the Holy Imam and then make an effort to develop himself/herself to his/her full potential. Al-Hamdulillah, even this barakat is in the treasury of Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam and we should do our utmost to carry the Holy Imam's light in our foreheads!

Related Links:
How to concentrate in Bandagi? (Web page)
Eighteen Bandagi Gems (Web pages)
Eighteen Bandagi Gems (PDF file)

Ardent Supplications:

Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!

Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.

Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)

Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only),
Noorallah Juma
SalmanSpiritual.com
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009

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