KEYWORDS:
Alam as-Sagir: the small world, i.e., the human being.
Alam al-Kabir: the big world, i.e., the universe.
A human being should think about his sins and repent for them and think about his worships and
thank for them. He should also ponder about extremely beautiful and delicate arts and systems
and their relationships to each other on his own body as well as on other creatures in order to
appreciate greatness of Allahu ta’ala. The totality of all creatures and other beings are called
world (Alam).
["Alam" consists of three parts, the world of bodies, the physical world or corporeal world
(Alam al-ajsad), the world of spirits (Alam al-arwah), and the world between the spiritual and
the physical worlds (Alam al-misal). "Alam al-misal" is not a world of existence. It is a world of
appearance. Every existent in other two worlds has an appearance in "Alam al-misal." The world
of spirits (Alam al-arwah) are the things outside of the ninth heaven (Arsh). They are not made
of material. They are also called the world of command (Alam al-amr). "Alam al-ajsad" is the
world of material. This is also called "world of creation" (Alam al-halq). This is also made of
two parts. Human being is called "Alam al-sagir." Everything other than the human being is
called "Alam al-Kabir." Everything which exists in the "Alam al-kabir" has also a representation
or likeness in human being (Alam al-sagir). Spiritual heart (Qalb) of human being is a door with
openings to the world of spirits. This door is closed and destroyed in the hearts of disbelievers.
For this reason, disbelievers are not aware of the world of spirits. The only possibility, the only
prescription in order for the spiritual heart to obtain life, in order for it to open its door to the
world of spirits is through believing and becoming a Muslim. A believer should strive hard in
order to enter from the door of spiritual heart and then make progress in the world of spirits
toward endless life. The comprehensive knowledge of Sufism (Tasawwuf), which is one of the
main eight branches of knowledge of Islam, teaches this kind of striving. The specialists of this
knowledge are called friends (Wali) of Allah and enlightener (Murshid). The most famous
among all "Murshids" is Imam ar-Rabbani Ahmad Faruqi, may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased
with him. He passed away in India at 1034 Hijri, 1624 A.D.
It is not possible for a sensible person, who studies in the medical and scientific universities to
observe the delicate art and balance in the creatures and sees and understands their delicaterelationships to each other, not to believe in the greatness, knowledge, and power of Allahu
ta’ala. A person who does not believe after observing and understanding all of these either has to
be an abnormal, retrogressive, and ignorant or stubborn and stupid person who runs after appetite
or a person who became a slave of his soul and who enjoys torturing. He must be a sadist and
oppressive person. If one studies the life stories of disbelievers, it becomes clear that they belong
to one of these categories.]
In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "Have belief in Allahu ta’ala by thinking
the order among the created beings." Belief of a person will increase by studying the
astronomy and understanding the order between the earth, moon, sun and all other stars and their
spinning and travel in the space and intricate calculations between them with respect to their
distances. There are several benefits and uses in the creation of mountains, metals, rivers, seas,
animals, vegetation, and even microbes. None of them were created for a useless purpose.
Clouds, rain, lightening, thunderbolt, underground-waters, energy materials and air, in short,
every created being perform certain functions and services. Human beings, up to date is able to
understand very little about these innumerable number of services rendered by these innumerable
beings. Is it ever possible for a mind which is not capable of understanding the creatures to ever
comprehend their creator? Islamic scholars who understood the greatness of Him were
bewildered and stated that they understood that it is not possible to understand Him. One of the
followers of Moses (Musa), peace be upon him, prayed thirty years. A cloud made shade to
protect him from the sun. One day, the cloud did not come and so he stayed under the sun. He
asked the reason to his mother. She said to him that he probably committed some sin. He
answered to her by saying that he did not commit any sin. She said, "Didn’t you look at the
skies? When you see them, didn’t you think the greatness of their creator?" He said, yes he
looked at them but made error in pondering about. She answered, "Is there any other sin bigger
than this? Make repentance right away." A sensible person should not forget about duty of
pondering. Is there anyone who has any guaranty that he will not die tomorrow? Allahu ta’ala
did not create anything without any use. The uses that are not understood by human beings are
much more than the uses they are able to comprehend so far. Pondering can be accomplished in
four ways. Pondering about the beautiful arts of Allahu ta’ala which manifest on human beings
causes one to believe in Him and love Him. Pondering about the rewards promised by Him for
the worships would cause one to perform those worships. Pondering about the punishments
informed by Him causes one to be afraid of Him and thus causes one not do any evil to anyone.
Pondering about one's being slave to his soul and committing sin and living in a state of
heedlessness regardless of all the blessings bestowed by Him causes one to have shame from
Allahu ta’ala. Allahu ta’ala loves those who ponder about and takes heed by seeing the beings
that exist on the skies and on the earth. Following hadiths reports, "There is no higher valued
worship than pondering." And "Pondering for a moment is more valuable than sixty years
of worships." Pondering (Tafakkur) is explained in detail by Imam al-Ghazali, may Allahu
ta’ala be pleased with him, in his book written in Persian, Kimya as-Sa’adat.
Alam as-Sagir: the small world, i.e., the human being.
Alam al-Kabir: the big world, i.e., the universe.
A human being should think about his sins and repent for them and think about his worships and
thank for them. He should also ponder about extremely beautiful and delicate arts and systems
and their relationships to each other on his own body as well as on other creatures in order to
appreciate greatness of Allahu ta’ala. The totality of all creatures and other beings are called
world (Alam).
["Alam" consists of three parts, the world of bodies, the physical world or corporeal world
(Alam al-ajsad), the world of spirits (Alam al-arwah), and the world between the spiritual and
the physical worlds (Alam al-misal). "Alam al-misal" is not a world of existence. It is a world of
appearance. Every existent in other two worlds has an appearance in "Alam al-misal." The world
of spirits (Alam al-arwah) are the things outside of the ninth heaven (Arsh). They are not made
of material. They are also called the world of command (Alam al-amr). "Alam al-ajsad" is the
world of material. This is also called "world of creation" (Alam al-halq). This is also made of
two parts. Human being is called "Alam al-sagir." Everything other than the human being is
called "Alam al-Kabir." Everything which exists in the "Alam al-kabir" has also a representation
or likeness in human being (Alam al-sagir). Spiritual heart (Qalb) of human being is a door with
openings to the world of spirits. This door is closed and destroyed in the hearts of disbelievers.
For this reason, disbelievers are not aware of the world of spirits. The only possibility, the only
prescription in order for the spiritual heart to obtain life, in order for it to open its door to the
world of spirits is through believing and becoming a Muslim. A believer should strive hard in
order to enter from the door of spiritual heart and then make progress in the world of spirits
toward endless life. The comprehensive knowledge of Sufism (Tasawwuf), which is one of the
main eight branches of knowledge of Islam, teaches this kind of striving. The specialists of this
knowledge are called friends (Wali) of Allah and enlightener (Murshid). The most famous
among all "Murshids" is Imam ar-Rabbani Ahmad Faruqi, may Allahu ta’ala be well pleased
with him. He passed away in India at 1034 Hijri, 1624 A.D.
It is not possible for a sensible person, who studies in the medical and scientific universities to
observe the delicate art and balance in the creatures and sees and understands their delicaterelationships to each other, not to believe in the greatness, knowledge, and power of Allahu
ta’ala. A person who does not believe after observing and understanding all of these either has to
be an abnormal, retrogressive, and ignorant or stubborn and stupid person who runs after appetite
or a person who became a slave of his soul and who enjoys torturing. He must be a sadist and
oppressive person. If one studies the life stories of disbelievers, it becomes clear that they belong
to one of these categories.]
In one hadith, Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "Have belief in Allahu ta’ala by thinking
the order among the created beings." Belief of a person will increase by studying the
astronomy and understanding the order between the earth, moon, sun and all other stars and their
spinning and travel in the space and intricate calculations between them with respect to their
distances. There are several benefits and uses in the creation of mountains, metals, rivers, seas,
animals, vegetation, and even microbes. None of them were created for a useless purpose.
Clouds, rain, lightening, thunderbolt, underground-waters, energy materials and air, in short,
every created being perform certain functions and services. Human beings, up to date is able to
understand very little about these innumerable number of services rendered by these innumerable
beings. Is it ever possible for a mind which is not capable of understanding the creatures to ever
comprehend their creator? Islamic scholars who understood the greatness of Him were
bewildered and stated that they understood that it is not possible to understand Him. One of the
followers of Moses (Musa), peace be upon him, prayed thirty years. A cloud made shade to
protect him from the sun. One day, the cloud did not come and so he stayed under the sun. He
asked the reason to his mother. She said to him that he probably committed some sin. He
answered to her by saying that he did not commit any sin. She said, "Didn’t you look at the
skies? When you see them, didn’t you think the greatness of their creator?" He said, yes he
looked at them but made error in pondering about. She answered, "Is there any other sin bigger
than this? Make repentance right away." A sensible person should not forget about duty of
pondering. Is there anyone who has any guaranty that he will not die tomorrow? Allahu ta’ala
did not create anything without any use. The uses that are not understood by human beings are
much more than the uses they are able to comprehend so far. Pondering can be accomplished in
four ways. Pondering about the beautiful arts of Allahu ta’ala which manifest on human beings
causes one to believe in Him and love Him. Pondering about the rewards promised by Him for
the worships would cause one to perform those worships. Pondering about the punishments
informed by Him causes one to be afraid of Him and thus causes one not do any evil to anyone.
Pondering about one's being slave to his soul and committing sin and living in a state of
heedlessness regardless of all the blessings bestowed by Him causes one to have shame from
Allahu ta’ala. Allahu ta’ala loves those who ponder about and takes heed by seeing the beings
that exist on the skies and on the earth. Following hadiths reports, "There is no higher valued
worship than pondering." And "Pondering for a moment is more valuable than sixty years
of worships." Pondering (Tafakkur) is explained in detail by Imam al-Ghazali, may Allahu
ta’ala be pleased with him, in his book written in Persian, Kimya as-Sa’adat.
