BB00654: Tafsir al-Hamd

Part 1: “The glory from God resteth upon the Primal…”

In the Name of God, the Most Great, the Most Great

The glory from God resteth upon the Primal Unity and upon those who bear such likeness unto that Unity that naught can be seen in them save the Primal Unity. I testify that the likeness of the Books of God is as the likeness of the sun—though it rise countless times, it is but one sun, and though it set countless times, it is but one sun. Similarly, though Books be revealed from God times without number, they are but one Book, and though they be raised up times without number, they are raised up unto God and are but one Book. I testify that the Book is the Word of God from the Sun of Truth in every Dispensation, howsoever God willeth and in whatsoever tongue He revealeth it. Verily thy knowledge in the ocean of names shall not be established save through thy knowledge in the ocean of creation.

I shall teach thee the essence of the Bayan through a surih of the Qur’an, that thou mayest comprehend all Books from the beginning that hath no beginning unto the end that hath no end through this exposition. Behold then the opening surih:

“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, the Compassionate, the Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship and Thee do we beseech for help. Guide us on the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast favored, not of those who have incurred Thy wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.” [Q1:1-7]

If thou gazest upon the ocean of names, God hath ever been, from the beginning that hath no beginning, the Possessor of the Most Beautiful Names—of Compassion, Mercy, Lordship, Sovereignty and the like among His inaccessible names and His exalted attributes, and thus shall it be unto the end that hath no end. However, this knowledge in the ocean of names neither taketh root nor profiteth thee except thou witness it in the ocean of creation. For example, the meaning of this surih in the Psalms is:

“I seek guidance from God Who hath made David His Prophet and endowed him with the mercy of grace—the requirement of the Primal Will whereby He loveth to cause all things to enter Paradise—and with the mercy of justice which is manifested through the Secondary Will whereby He withholdeth the knowledge of Himself from whom He willeth and bestoweth it upon whom He willeth. All good is the name of praise and it belongeth unto Him. He is the Educator of all things, the Possessor of gracious mercy and then of just mercy. He is the Sovereign of the day of His manifestation until the day of Moses. I obey my Lord and seek help in the paths which Thou hast ordained in the Psalms. Guide me to Thy path which Thou hast bestowed upon those who have believed in Thee in the Psalms, not of those whose mention Thou hast not loved and who have not entered into faith in Thee, nor of the peoples who believed in God’s Messengers before Thee and who persisted in their religion.”

Verily when the ocean of names descendeth into the ocean of creation, it speaketh unto thee thus. Then in the day of Moses the meaning of that surih is identical to the first meaning, except that the throne differeth from the name of David to that of Moses. Thus in the time of Moses’ manifestation the meaning of that surih is:

“I seek guidance from God Who hath made Moses His Prophet and endowed him with the mercy of grace and then of justice. All good belongeth unto Him and He is the Lord of the worlds and Master of the day of His manifestation until the day of Jesus. Thee shall I obey, my Lord, that I may be enriched. Guide us on the path which God hath revealed unto thee in the Torah and hast bestowed upon those who have believed in thee, not of those whom thou hast disliked to mention among those who believed in David but believed not in thee, nor of those who came before David and believed in God’s Messengers and who persisted in their religion after the appearance of the Latter One.”

And likewise thou canst understand the meaning of that Surah in the manifestation of Jesus in the Gospel, for at that time the meaning of that Surah was:

“I seek guidance through the name of Jesus Who is possessed of bountiful mercy and then of just mercy. And verily all good belongeth to Jesus Who is the Educator of all worlds, Whom God hath made the Possessor of bountiful mercy, then of just mercy, and made Him the Master of the Day of His Manifestation until the Day of Muhammad, nay from the beginning that hath no beginning unto the end that hath no end. Thee do I obey, my Lord, that Thy religion may be enriched, Thy mention exalted, and Thy Word made invincible. Guide us unto Thy straight path whereon Thou hast favored those who were given the Gospel from Thee, and preserve us from those whom Thou hast not wished to mention from among those who were given the Torah, nor those who were given the Psalms, for they are not guided.”

Then this same interpretation on the Day of Muhammad, the Apostle of God:

“I seek guidance through God by the name of Muhammad, Whom God hath made the Possessor of bountiful mercy, then of just mercy. And verily all good belongeth to Muhammad Who is the Educator of all worlds, Whom God hath made the Possessor of bountiful mercy unto all believers and of just mercy unto those who believe not, and made Him the Master of the Day of His Manifestation until the Day of the Point of the Bayan, nay from the beginning that hath no beginning unto the end that hath no end therein. Guide us, O Muhammad, unto the straight path whereon Thou hast favored those who have believed in Thee, not those who were given the Gospel before Thee, nor those who were given the Torah, for they are not guided nor do they believe.”

And if thou desirest to acquire these attributes, then mention in every name one of the verses of the Furqan; nay, were I to interpret a single letter according to all the precious meanings and lofty expositions possible therein, the seas of the heavens and earth and all that lieth between them would be exhausted. But I have desired to give thee insight in thy recitation of a Surah from the Book of God. Thus the meaning of that Surah in the Day of the Point of the Bayan is exactly as I have taught thee:

“I seek guidance through Nabil after Ali, Whom God hath made the Possessor of bountiful mercy, then of just mercy. And verily all good from the beginning that hath no beginning unto the end that hath no end belongeth to Nabil after Ali, Whom God hath made the Educator of all worlds, and made Him the Possessor of bountiful mercy unto all that hath been and shall be created, and of just mercy unto those who are in the Bayan, and made Him the Master of the Day of His Manifestation until the Day of Him Whom God shall make manifest; nay, from the beginning that hath no beginning all hath ended in Him, and unto the end that hath no end all must needs be manifested through Him. Thee alone do I obey, my Lord, from Thee alone do I seek help, and let none be joined with Thee, for were I to join obedience to another with obedience to Thee, it would be as though I had worshipped other than God, and were I to seek help from any besides Thee, it would be as though I had sought help from other than God. And verily I seek protection in Thee and take refuge in Thee from aught save Thy love and good-pleasure.”

O Point of the Bayan, protect me, for verily Thou art the Best of protectors. Guide us to Thy straight path which God hath sent down unto Thee in the Bayan through His commandments and prohibitions—the path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed Thy grace, who have believed in Thee and in the Primal Living One, the chosen ones of Thy Faith; then of those who transgress not a single bound of the bounds of Thy religion and who desire naught save what Thou hast desired in the Bayan for the creation of Thy Lord—not of those whose mention Thou hast not loved from among those who were given the Furqan, nor of those who were given the Gospel, for these are not guided. And likewise this interpretation applieth to the Day of Him Whom God shall make manifest.

Say: I shall surely seek guidance from Him Whom God shall make manifest, the Lord of the Most Excellent Mercy, then the Lord of Justice. Verily all good belongeth to Him Whom God shall make manifest, Who is the Educator of all worlds. He it is Whom God hath made the Lord of the Most Excellent Mercy, then the Lord of Justice amongst all worlds. And He it is Whom God hath made the Master of His Day of Manifestation until the manifestation of Him Who shall be manifested after Him Whom God shall make manifest—the Manifestation of God in all worlds. Verily every day hath God created from the beginning that hath no beginning in His days, and all that God createth must needs be manifested in His days. Therefore be thou discerning and be of them that know.

Part 2: “O Him Whom God shall make manifest, I…”

O Him Whom God shall make manifest, I shall surely obey Thee and through Thee shall I seek assistance in manifesting Thy love and Thy good-pleasure howsoever Thou willest, wheresoever Thou willest, through whatsoever Thou willest, and whithersoever Thou willest. For whatsoever Thou willest hath been through what God, Thy Lord, hath willed, and that which Thou willest not hath not been through what God, Thy Lord, hath not willed. And verily Thou art, through him who obeyeth Thee, among them that know. Guide us to Thy straight path which Thou ordainest in Thy Book by God’s leave, the Lord of all worlds—which leave is the leave of Thine own Being, since Thou hast no will or desire save through what God hath willed and desired, no power or decree or leave save through what God hath empowered and decreed and permitted, no term or book save through what God hath appointed and written. And guide us through Thy bounty, for verily Thou art the Most Excellent Guide—the path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed Thy grace, who recognize Thee and follow Thee; not of those who were given the Bayan yet remain patient and believe not, nor of those who were given the Furqan for they are not guided.

And likewise this explanation—learn thou of it in the Day of Him Who shall be manifested after Him Whom God shall make manifest. For in His Day of Manifestation, shouldst thou comprehend the meaning of that Surih, it behooveth thee to say: I shall surely seek guidance through the name of Him Who shall be manifested after Him Whom God shall make manifest, the Lord of the Most Excellent Mercy, then of Justice in all worlds. Verily all good belongeth unto Him and He is the Educator of all worlds. He it is Whom God hath made the Lord of Justice, then of the Most Excellent Mercy unto all who are created and shall be created, then unto all in the worlds.

And He it is Whom God hath made the Master of His Day of Manifestation until the Day of Him Who shall be manifested after Him. And all the days that have been created are in it, and all that shall be created is from His presence. That is from the knowledge of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Thee alone do I obey, and I associate none with Thee in my obedience, and in Thee alone do I seek assistance, and I seek help from none other than Thee. Guide us to Thy path which Thou lovest and with which Thou art well-pleased, for verily Thou art the Most Guiding of guides—the path of those upon whom Thou bestowest favor, who know Thee and believe in Thee, other than those who were given the Book of Him Whom God shall make manifest, nor those who were given the Bayan, for these, should they remain patient and believe not, are not guided.

Then in the third Manifestation, likewise, shouldst thou attain, say:

“I shall surely seek guidance through the name of Him Who shall appear after Him Whom God shall make manifest, the Lord of grace and justice unto all worlds.”

All good belongeth unto Him, and verily He is the Educator of all worlds. He it is Whom God, the Lord of grace and justice, hath made for all worlds, and He it is Whom God hath made the Master of the Day of His Manifestation until the next Resurrection, and all the days that have been created in His days, and all that shall be created must needs be created in His days, and He is the Master of all things through God’s bestowal of sovereignty, the Lord of all worlds. Thee alone do I obey, and I associate none with Thee in my obedience, and in Thee alone do I seek assistance, and I seek help from none other than Thee. Guide us to the path which Thou wouldst manifest through Thy will, for verily Thou art the Most Guiding of guides—the path of those upon whom Thou bestowest favor, who know Thee and are believers in Thy presence, other than those who were given the Book of Him Who shall appear after Him Whom God shall make manifest, nor those who were given the Book of Him Whom God shall make manifest, for these, should they remain, are not guided.

Then in the fourth Manifestation, likewise, shouldst thou attain, thou shalt surely say by God:

“I shall seek guidance through the name of Him Who shall appear after Him Whom God shall make manifest,”

He Whom God, the Lord of grace and justice, hath made for all who are created and shall be created, then for all worlds. Everything upon which the name of aught can be applied belongeth unto Him, and verily He is the Educator of all worlds. He it is Whom God, the Lord of grace and justice, hath made for all who are in the kingdoms of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them, then for all worlds. He it is Whom God hath made the Master of all things through His Own sovereignty, and from Him, from the day of His Manifestation until the next Resurrection, and all that hath been created therein, and all that shall be created must needs appear from His presence, and He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth.

Thee alone do I obey, and I associate none with Thee in my obedience, and in Thee alone do I seek assistance, and I associate none with Thee in my seeking of assistance. Guide us to Thy path howsoever Thou willest, wheresoever Thou willest, whithersoever Thou willest, and through whatsoever means Thou willest, for verily Thou art the Most Guiding of guides. Thy Self knoweth the sublimity of Thy grace, and how, and Thy guidance, and whatsoever Thou lovest of the affairs of Thy will—all are Thine, through Thee, from Thee, and unto Thee, and verily Thou art the Glory of God unto all worlds. This is the path of those upon whom Thou bestowest favor, who know Thee and love Thee, other than those who were given the Book of Him Who appeared before Thee, nor those who were given the Book of Him Who appeared before Him Who appeared before Thee, for verily these, should they remain patient, are not guided.

And verily, regarding the Fifth Manifestation, were ye to comprehend it as I have explained, ye would surely expound it and would say:

“We shall surely seek guidance through the name of Him Who shall appear after, after, after Him Whom God shall make manifest, Whom God, the Possessor of grace and then of justice, hath made to rule over all the worlds. Verily, all good belongeth unto Him, and He is the Educator of all the worlds. He is the One Whom God, the Possessor of grace and then of justice, hath made for all who are in the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them, and verily, He is the Best of the merciful ones. He is the One Whom God hath made the possessor of all things, and from the day of His manifestation until the next Resurrection—exalted be its Manifestation and glorified be its Founder—and all the days that have been created on the day of His manifestation and all that shall be created must needs appear from His presence, and He is the Lord of all the worlds.”

“Thee shall we obey, and we shall not associate anyone with Thee in our obedience, and through Thee shall we seek assistance, and we shall never seek help from any other than Thee. Verily, Thou art sufficient unto us and sufficient unto all that hath been and shall be created, and verily, through what God hath taught Thee, Thou hast knowledge of all things.”

“Guide us unto the path which Thou lovest for Thyself, for Thou art the Most Guiding of guides—the path which Thou bestowest upon those who love Thee and know Thee and follow Thy commandments and Thy prohibitions, not the path of those who were given the Book of Him Who appeared before Thee or before before Thee, for if they persist, they are not guided.”

From the beginning that hath no beginning, the meaning of that Surah is like this, and unto the end that hath no end, the meaning of that Surah is like this; nay, the meaning of all the Books is like this. Therefore, judge with fairness by God: Have those who were given the Gospel read that Surah after the appearance of Muhammad, and likewise after the appearance of Him Who came after Him, and likewise unto the end that hath no end? Therefore, comprehend the Cause of God and watch over thyself lest thou be numbered among the veiled ones.