The Origin of Creation: From the Pre-Material World to Adam and Eve and Beyond

By Mohammad Amin Sheikho and A. K. John Alias Al-Dayrani

This book begins with a comprehensive and concise study of all that took place in the pre-material world of al-Azal and the beginning of creation of this earthly world; it then continues by guiding us towards the only way which can help us to ascertain the truth, and to attain heart vision of these facts of which most people are ignorant.
This way is simply to look into the universe and study its miraculous signs, with the aim of searching for the Provider; for once a human recognizes their Provider they will have heart's eye (third eye) opened and will witness endless realities.
God's Aim in bringing creatures into being is so that the people on this earth may become acquainted with their Maker, and accept to do good, charitable deeds once they believe in God and His Envoy (cpth) and obtain insight through their third eye (heart's eye).
This insight will enable them to differentiate between goodness and evil, and thereby offer up their good deeds to the Almighty.
By following this course, a person will live happily in this life, and after their death they will meet their Provider with a pure heart by virtue of the benevolent deeds they offered to His Creation during their lifetime.
As a consequence, they will live in the eternal bliss in His Paradise.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: May 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9783743868137

Mohammad Amin Sheikho

Mohammad Amin Sheikho (1890-1964 A.D / 1308-1384 A.H)Early YearsM. Amin Sheikho was born in al-Ward district in Sarouja Quarter, one of the historical districts of Damascus, in Syria which was called mini-Istanbul during the period of the Ottoman rule. He was raised in an Arab style house situated opposite the famous public al-Ward Bathhouse. This house stands there to the present day.M. Amin Sheikho was still young when his father, the merchant Ismael Sheikho, departed this world. Mohammad Saleem, the only and elder brother of Mohammad Amin, was assigned as a director of the Military School during the Ottoman rule.EducationAt the age of twelve the boy who was to become the great scholar was enrolled at al-Rashidiya School, he then went on to complete his studies in Amber, the Royal Ottoman Faculty in Damascus. He received many certificates of praise and commendation during the Ottoman rule and then under the reign of King Faisal in Syria. There are many copies of these certificates still preserved in trustworthy hands.AchievementsDuring the period of the Turkish rule, he was head of many police-stations in Damascus and its dependent counties. He was a shining example to all for his unfailing attention to duty, the vitality with which he approached every task, and the high level of achievement in many varied deeds which were of great benefit to mankind.During the French mandate he was appointed a director of the prisons of the citadel of Damascus.When the great Syrian uprising took place against the French forces, he helped the revolutionaries in every conceivable way until they placed the seal of the revolution in his trustworthy hands. Due to his subversive activities he fell foul of the French governor of Syria resulting in an order being issued for his execution; but the Almighty God saved him. During this period he was compliant in many attempts to overthrow French rule.He was the companion of Sheikh Amin Kuftaro for almost twenty years and following his death M. Amin Sheikho followed his footsteps and became the next in succession to guide and teach the disciples of the eminent sheikh.His assemblies were distinguished by the profound level of wisdom with which he imparted his teaching and guidance.He took great care to draw the attention of his followers to beware of the tales of the Israelites which defame the biography of the noble persons, the Envoys of God (pth), and of anything ascribed to them which conflicts their perfection and impeccability.In 1953, the famous coeval philosopher, Sir John Godolphin Bennett came from Britain to visit him. He remained in his company for three weeks that were filled with lengthy dialogues about the religion of Islam and its actuality.Sir John asked M. Amin Sheikho many questions about the exact definition of the ‘spirit’ and the difference between that and the ‘soul’, as well as asking for clarification about Godly Justice, a topic which he found difficult to comprehend. As a result of this visit, Sir John practised Islamic legislation and performed the prayers along with the followers of the scholar.This visit was referred to briefly in the autobiography of Sir John Bennett in his book Witness; but after his death, a book containing special personal recollections written by Sir John was published in 1975 under the title Journeys in Islamic Countries, wherein he spoke in detail about this meeting. In this book he gave a detailed account of the personality and character of M. Amin Sheikho, and of his lectures and disciples. He also mentioned the great benefits he had derived from his life-changing meeting with him.During his lectures M. Amin Mohammad Amin Sheikho pointed frequently to the belief in the return of Jesus Christ (pth), from the Islamic perspective. He also indicated the near advent of this significant world event as, according to his explanations, most of the conditions for this momentous Hour had been fulfilled.This was disclosed in his book: The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon: the Return of Jesus Christ.In referring to his meeting with M. Amin Sheikho, Sir John made mention of this issue in his two books: Witness and Journeys in Islamic Countries.Professor Abdul-Kadir John, alias al-Dayrani, published the book Stories of M. Amin Sheikho wherein he writes in detail about many deeds performed by his teacher, Mohammad Amin Sheikho.One of His PupilsProfessor Abdul-Kadir John, alias al-Dayrani is the best known and most distinguished among the pupils of M. Amin Sheikho. He received a certificate of General Education (a Syrian certificate which included the study of nine different sciences). Prof. al-Dayrani collected and verified more than fifty books which were dictated by M. Amin Sheikho and written on his behalf. Therefore his name is always mentioned in association with the name of Mohammad Amin Sheikho.PublicationsM. Amin Sheikho dictated to his pupils many books about Islam in the Arabic language, some of which have been translated into English and French. The following are just some of these:1- Interpretation of the Great Qur’an (Lights of Descending & Realities of Meaning)2- Interpretation of Am’ma Section of the Qur’an3- Impeccability of Prophets4- Am’ma Encyclopedia (The Compassionate’s Gifts in Interpreting the Qur’an)5- Al-Amin Interpretation of the Great Qur’an (The Previous Nations)6- Visiting the Prophet (cpth) and the Effect of His Love in Elevating the Believing Spirit7- High Grades of Al-Taqwa (Seeing by Al’lah’s Light)—The Jewels of Rules in Explaining the Pillars of Islam8- The Sources of Spring Water in the World9- The Reality of Our Master Mohammad (cpth) Appearing in the Twentieth Century10- Proclaiming God’s Love (The Scientific and Qur’anic Motivations for Halal Slaughter)11- Islam... What is the Veil for? What is Divorce for? What is Polygamy for?12- The West has Liberated Man from Slavery—Did Islam not do the same?13- The Great Scientific Discovery—the Astonishing Reality of the Six Days and the Seven Heavens14- The Amazing Miracle of the Fundamental Verses of the Book in the Twenty-first Century15- Cupping: the Marvelous Medicine that Cures Heart Disease, Paralysis, Haemophilia, Migraine, Sterility and Cancer—A Prophetic Medical Science in its New Perspective16- The Reality of Tamerlane the Great Appears in the Twenty-first Century17- The Envoy of Peace Looms on the Horizon: The Return of Jesus Christ18- Secrets of the Seven Praising Verses19- Goodbye to the Doctor of al-Muqawqis (Cyrus, Patriarch of Alexandria)Radio and TV Programmes- Illuminative Speculations: al-Quds Radio Station broadcasting from Syria- Lights for Humankind: the Lebanese Radio Station al-Tawheed- Cupping, an Arabic Discovery Spreads All over the World and Cupping, a Prophetic Medical Science in Its New Scientific Perspective: Two documentary films which have been broadcast on many world satellite stations such as Iqraa TV, Sharjah, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and others- Proclaiming God’s Love (The Scientific and Qur’anic Motivations for Halal Slaughter): A documentary film that has been broadcast on Iqraa TV, and satellite stations in Al-Sharjah, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and others- The Descent of the Prophets: A computer programmeA Glimpse of his distinguished thoughts and viewsHe disclosed the true meaning of the letters (acronyms) that are reported at the beginning of the Fortresses of the Holy Qur’an, which was not understood by previous Muslim scholars and said that, “Al’lah knows best His Purpose behind them.”He disproved the stories which are ascribed wrongly to the noble Envoy Mohammad (cpth), such as the story of his being affected by the action of magic, the story of cutting his noble chest (cpth), and all that would put him (cpth) in the wrong.He elucidated that the noble Prophets are impeccable in all of their words, actions and deeds.- He was the first in the world to reveal the source of fresh spring and river water, which is the ice of the North and South Poles.- He gave an exact definition of the ‘human spirit’ and clarified the difference between that and the ‘soul’.- He differentiated between the ‘mind’ and ‘thought’.- He talked about al-Azal world, the very beginning of creation in the world of immaterial spirits, and demonstrated the Godly Justice in that world and the reason for the coming of mankind to this world.- He elucidated the wisdom in turning towards al-ka’ba when communicating with God (praying); he explained the reason for fasting and the meaning of the Night of al-Qadr (Evaluation) and how to attain it.- He interpreted from the noble Qur’an how to derive the proportion of Zakat (almsgiving), and determined it as 2.5%.- He revealed the wisdom folded in each ritual of the rites of pilgrimage.- He clarified the benefits of the medical Prophetic commandments about using an enema of amylum suspension, medicinal castor oil, and the application of leeches for medical purposes.- He called attention to certain eminent personalities who had been wronged by history. Specifically he spoke of Tamerlane the famous conqueror who is known to be a blood-thirsty warrior conqueror in the Middle East, while Asian peoples revere him and regard him as a holy man who had spread the religion of Islam in their countries. In this respect, a book was issued by M. Amin Sheikho under the title: The Reality of Tamerlane the Great.Mohammad Amin Sheikho and CuppingThe name of Mohammad Amin Sheikho is always referred to whenever ‘cupping’ is mentioned, for it is he who disclosed its correct rules. Following the death of M. Amin Sheikho his pupil, Prof. Abdul-Kadir al-Dayrani undertook scientific research about this operation with the participation of a large medical team composed of many professors and doctors specialised in various medical ailments. When the results of the analysis of the blood extracted by the cupping operation were declared and many patients were healed completely after being cupped, the procedure soon spread widely and had a wide following in many societies. The results were published in many magazines and journals, and as a result, many medical people began to apply the procedure according to the exact and correct conditions that had been laid down.Mohammad Amin Sheikho and the reason for Mentioning the Name of Al’lah over a CarcassHe emphasised the necessity of mentioning Al’lah’s Name aloud over animals as they are being slaughtered, for when they hear Al’lah’s Name their meat becomes pure and free of any microbes.Prof. al-Dayrani also subjected the ideas of his teacher, M. Amin Sheikho, in this field, to a scientific study. A great number of doctors and university professors carried out scientific research, the like of which had never been attempted before. They took many samples of the meat of cattle, some of which were slaughtered while mentioning Al’lah’s Name aloud over them, while others were slaughtered without the benefit of this blessing. A comparative analysis of the outcome was then carried out. The results of this study were also published in a book issued on behalf of M. Amin Sheikho, entitled, Proclaiming God’s Love (The Scientific and Qur’anic Motivations for Halal Slaughter.Mrs. Salma Estwani, the BBC correspondent in Syria at that time, announced the scientific results of this study and interviewed the doctors and researchers who carried it out.Also, after revealing these results, many signboards were posted in Damascus streets on which it was written, ‘How terrible! Is it true that we Syrians eat microbes through our food?’ And on the front of the citadel of Damascus, a large sign was displayed on which was printed: ‘The Great Syrian Humane Scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho.’

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Title Page

THE ORIGIN OF CREATION

From the Pre-Material World to Adam and Eve and Beyond

Authored by

The Great Humane Eminent Scholar

Mohammad Amin Sheikho

(God has sanctified his soul)

§§§§§

Checked and Introduced by

Prof. A. K. John Alias Al-Dayrani

§§§§§

English Language Editing by

Jackie Feehan

Foreword by Prof. A.K. John, Alias Al-Dayrani

All Praise is due to God, and to Him alone, the Provider of the worlds. Perfect and complete communication with God and peace are achieved through the best of all creatures, our Prophet Mohammad (cpth)1 whom God sent as a great mercy to the worlds; and also through his family, his companions and anyone who follows his guidance till the Day of Resurrection.

Everything in this universe has a reality which can be recognised through constant and serious contemplation. The most important thing for you as a creature is to know your Creator, the Almighty God, and communicate with Him. The easiest way of approaching that is through His Envoy (cpth) and the Holy Qur’an which was sent down by Al’lah, and in which man can find the absolute truth. By applying the Word of Al’lah, mankind will reach a high rank of spiritual perfection, become overwhelmed with Godly Light and, through their personal efforts, they will acquire a third eye, known as the heart’s eye.

Through this they will come to know God’s Purpose beyond His bringing them to this worldly life: they will recognise the great wisdom behind the creation of the vast universe, and will certainly be able to discriminate between truth and falsehood, virtue and vice, and good and evil. In addition, they will come to know that this worldly life serves as a school for all human beings whereby they will be rewarded and elevated by making every effort to carry out good deeds during their lifetime, seeking only God’s Satisfaction. They should proceed in this way, sacrificing their wealth, prestige and rest in order to reach communication with God whereby they will receive integrity, wellbeing and spiritual health in return. They know that such behaviour will bring them happiness, Paradise and God’s Favour and Reward in this life and in the life to come. They will see, therefore, that all their deeds are full of goodness and altruism to all creatures, and all their words serve as guidance in order to lead people towards virtue, happiness and God’s Perfections.

Few human beings, even those who are fair and sound of mind, think deeply about this universe: its order, its produce (fruits), and the multitude of gifts that Al’lah causes to flow upon them through it. However they will observe and witness all the Supreme Godly Attributes: the Great Creator, the Wise Innovator, the Omnipotent Steering God, the Compassionate, and the Merciful… and will fully realise His Mercy and Sympathy for us and for all the worlds, and that He, the Great and the Almighty, has created us for no purpose except to enjoy happiness.

And just as the Almighty’s Creation and Steering of this universe are perfectly arranged so that everything bears fruit and provides more and ever more with no aim but the happiness of mankind, it is the same concerning His Legislation and His Orders in His Holy Book, for they too are quite perfect. They will finally realise God’s Justice in this universe. As long as the Creator is One, the Provider is Single and the Steering God is Unique and Genius, then as a result of your profound thinking and searching you will come to the conclusion that all things are in the Power of Al’lah alone. So, too, as He has duly arranged the heavens according to His Perfection He has similarly ordered the earth and the relationship between all creatures in accordance with His Good Names. Thus, the universe presents the perfect image: no chaos, no wrongful deviation and no failure. Everything within it, from the minutest atom to the greatest galaxy, are entirely organised within very strict discipline and under close and full control.

That was our pledge to Him the Almighty, that is, to be guided by His Legislation in this worldly life in order to achieve real happiness, and not to be unjust to ourselves or ignorant of the happiness that Al’lah has prepared for us in this life and in the life to come.

Dazzling fruits result from putting His Statute into action, for He is the Creator of mankind and He knows best about the law that will lead to happiness in this life and in the Afterlife, starting with the happiness of mankind and ending with that of all other creatures.

In this book we shall discuss some facts concerning spiritual knowledge, some rules which control the spirit and everything that is linked to it. In addition, we shall discuss certain issues which are the subject of much dispute: we shall clarify the truth concerning these and make the correct rules available to you.

We shall tackle the origin of the first Creation, where we were in the prematerial world, and why and how we came to this lower life. Some concealed realities will also be dealt with: such as who the noble angels are; who the noble Prophets (ptt)2 are, and how they are chosen to be Prophets. We shall also discuss our great father Adam (pth)3 about whom there are many false beliefs such as: he, along with our mother Eve, were ungrateful parents and they were the reason that we were expelled from Paradise because of their first mistake. Further, we shall talk in some detail about fate, Godly Justice, the first devil and how he became a devil, and how we can deliver ourselves from him. These rules and truths are based on sound logic and evidence and taken from the science and knowledge of a great twentieth century scholar. This great and eminent scholar is Mohammad Amin Sheikho (his soul has been sanctified by Al’lah) who received a wonderful Divine revelation, so that you and we may benefit from his holy, high and sublime knowledge of the Words of the Almighty God, the Holy Qur’an.

Introduction, the Reason God Created Adam and Eve

Inspiration and Questions

Throughout the different stages of their life, everyone will certainly query many things. From early childhood, when perception and recognition first arise, they ask questions about whatever they see. For instance, when a child looks at the sky, it may ask, why do the stars shine? Where does the sun go to at night? Where do the clouds come from? – along with a multitude of other questions.

The more a child’s awareness grows, the more the questions will increase, through which it endeavours to gain knowledge of this universe. This continues until the child’s enquiries exceed the limits of the material universe, and it shifts to another, greater field of questioning when it asks about the Creator of this universe, where is He? Why did He create it? This is because inquisitiveness is intrinsic to the human mind. One wonders, what is the reality of these questions? Where do they come from? One might say that they seem to arise from the very spirit of an inquisitive child. However, the truth is something different, for all of these questions come from Al’lah and are addressed to the child, and indeed to all children, by angels through the means of a hidden sound that is emitted from the very depths of this young spirit, so as to encourage and impel it to investigate the aim and purpose for which it was created.

If human beings are persistent in pursuing the reason for their existence, through their enquiries and the ever-changing circumstances they face in their life, they will come to understand the fact that they are more than just flesh and blood. For no sooner do they enjoy the pleasure of some base, earthly desire than this pleasure comes to an end, only to be followed by spiritual emptiness. This is followed by feelings of boredom, dissatisfaction and ennui that creep into their hearts and overwhelm them. They are then compelled to look for whatever might take their mind away from such a miserable situation. Eventually they often find no other choice but to resort to alcohol and drugs, hoping to forget their emotional suffering. This then leads to further dilemma regarding the purpose of this precisely established cosmic system, and for whom it was created.

The questions are numerous, Who supplies this wonderful universe, directs it and arranges its affairs? Who supplies us, directs us and arranges our affairs? Where is He Who controls it and controls us and to Whom everything, in the end, will return? For what purpose was humankind created? Can these questions really be answered? Were we created only to enjoy food, drink and marriage, or to fulfil other earthly desires?

Surely this cannot be the reason you were created or the purpose of your life, because all the creatures and animals that are inferior to you also achieve these same aims. Moreover, they surpass you in achieving these aims and enjoying such desires. If the purpose of our existence is thought to be the enjoyment of eating and drinking, we could say that a cow, for example, may gorge huge quantities of food with great relish and enjoyment, so no matter what, or how much a person tries to eat, can they expect to do better than the cow in this natural physical activity?

If matrimony were our sole purpose on this earth, we would say that birds far exceed humans in this regard, for any cock can have numerous hens. In addition, birds have plumage and feathers of unequalled beauty. For example, the peacock has been given such a marvellous appearance that it would have no need of the knowledge of humankind and their textile factories and manmade clothes to keep them warm and adorn their bodies.

However God has allowed mankind to reach this complex life and the urbanity of civilisation4 because it is what they want for themselves, and He has given them freedom of choice. In fact, it is not what Al’lah wishes for them, for He would have created the human race to be carefree, as free as the beautiful, captivating birds that need make no effort; and human beings would not drive themselves to exhaustion, but would ignore the burdens of this tiring and complex life. Besides, He would have provided for humans in a similar way to those beautiful birds, which are so appealing to people’s minds and hearts, for in the early morning they fly off hungry and return to their nests at night, fully satisfied; and all this is achieved without making any great effort or doing any tiring work.

So what can be the purpose of our coming to this lower life?

It was said that Al’lah created us to worship Him.

The evidence is in His Saying, ‘I created jinn-kind and man-kind only to worship Me.’5 This is correct, but for some people this statement will likely create a further question, why, then, did Al’lah create us and order us to worship Him? Is it because He is God Who should have servants to serve Him? Does the Almighty need us to adore Him, even though He is the Self-Existent One Who provides for everyone without requiring provision from anyone? Has He created us and commanded us to worship Him simply to make us experience all sorts of difficulties in following His Orders and avoiding acts that are forbidden to us?

Surely, the true purpose was none of the above, but must be far greater than these, because the Perfection and Supreme Attributes of God are incompatible with such aims. He does not need us; nor does He need our worship. He continues by saying, ‘I want no provision from them, nor do I want them to feed Me.’6 In the holy saying, Al’lah says, ‘Oh, My servants! Had the first, the last, the jinn, and the humans of you stood up on one level, asking Me for alms, and had I given everyone what they demanded, that would not have decreased what I have, except to the same degree that the sea may have a lack when a sewing needle enters it.’7

So the question still remains unanswered and, again, we ask ourselves, why were we created? And there is yet a further question, has the Almighty predestined some people to be happy and others to live a miserable life?

There are many unanswered questions for us to ponder dear reader, and to address these questions we shall undertake an interesting literary journey back through the ages and arrive in due course at the time which preceded our coming to this universe and life on earth. Through this we may understand what and where we were, and how we came to this world. We shall read about the amazing Godly realities of the world of first Creation, that is, the world of al-Azal; furthermore, our thirst for this knowledge will be quenched with the indisputable answers that this book presents to every possible question. We shall see how Godly Justice manifested itself throughout the whole of Creation when God (Glory to His Names) offered to all the spirits He had created in the pre-material world to undertake the Trust:8 this was a fair offer carrying no obligation whatsoever.

However, the majority of creatures were afraid and refused to accept it, with the exception of a few spirits that accepted to participate in this daring venture that was offered to them. From these few God formed human beings and jinns.

The Grand God wanted only what is good for His Creation, therefore He brought them into existence and then sent them to this earth to live this worldly life. He granted them cravings and desires to help them to achieve an honourable purpose by means of which they would become able to approach Him and enjoy happiness. Unfortunately, mankind wasted and ultimately lost much of this chance of true happiness by neglecting the Trust.

However, they now have a second chance, but if they fail to understand the reason why they came to this world that chance of true and everlasting happiness will be lost forever.

In his book, the eminent scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho discussed the great question which has long baffled religious scholars and ordinary people alike and was invariably misunderstood by them all. This question concerns the true story about the descent of our father and mother, Adam and Eve (ptt), from the glorious Garden they were in, to the earthly world of daily exertion and difficulties.

This issue was a point of disagreement among all people of the various Scriptures, including Christians, Jews and others. They all stated that our pure parents had made an error of judgement and that it was their father Adam (pth) who caused his offspring to live in unhappiness; they accused Adam and Eve (ptt) of disobedience and ingratitude towards God although they certainly did not deserve this criticism. Our brothers, the Christians, agreed with this point of view, for they believe that our master Jesus (pth) was sent to this world for the sole reason of atoning for their sins, and to make amends for the original sin committed by Adam (pth) by sacrificing his own soul. But the great scholar Mohammad Amin Sheikho has brought us the truth about this issue and revealed the true story about the descent of our master Adam (pth) and his wife Eve to this worldly life, and their children later on.

This book begins with a comprehensive and concise study of all that took place in the pre-material world of al-Azal and at the beginning of the Creation of this earthly world; it then continues by guiding us towards the only way which can help us to ascertain the truth, and to attain heart vision of these facts of which most people are ignorant. This way is simply to look into the universe and study its miraculous signs, with the aim of searching for the Provider; for once a human recognises their Provider they will have their heart’s eye (third eye) opened and will witness endless realities.

God’s Aim in bringing creatures into being is so that the people on this earth may become acquainted with their Maker, and accept to do good, charitable deeds once they believe in God and His Envoy (cpth) and obtain insight through their third eye (heart’s eye). This insight will enable them to differentiate between goodness and evil, and thereby offer up their good deeds to the Almighty. By following this course a person will live happily in this life, and after their death they will meet their Provider with a pure heart by virtue of the benevolent deeds they offered to His Creation during their lifetime. As a consequence, they will live in eternal bliss in His Paradise.

For further clarity about this indisputable fact, we shall continue by shedding light on the world of first Creation (al-Azal world) and the events that preceded our coming to this material world.

Chapter One, the Pre-Material World

The World of First Creation

Firstly we shall summarise what was introduced previously: Al’lah existed but nothing existed with Him. There were no jinns, no human beings, no animals or birds, nor other creatures of any type; there was no earth, no sky, no sun, no moon, nor stars. Whatever one might think to the contrary, there is no denying that He has always been the First, for His Existence has no beginning, and nothing came before Him.

This fact can never change. Additionally, He is Almighty, Great and Immense, and whatever one might say, He is not only Great but the Greatest, and not only Immense but the most Immense. His Greatness is without limit and without end. And He is the Last, for nothing will come after Him. The noble verse denotes, ‘He is the First and the Last, the Explicit and the Implicit, and He is Omniscient of everything.’9

The Purpose of Our Creation

Being the Origin of all virtues and many other additional Attributes, such as Generosity, Charity, Compassion, Favour, Tenderness, Beauty, Grandeur and Majesty that indicate His Perfection, God wanted to create beings so that they could experience His Compassion, and so that He could engulf them in His Benevolence and Charity. One could say that God wanted to create beings in order to enfold them within His Supreme Spirit so that they could enjoy being witness to His Beauty and become absorbed in observing His Perfection. God says in a holy saying (hadith qudsi), ‘I was a hidden treasure, and then I liked to be known, and so I created Creation and acquainted them with Me, so that they knew Me through Me.’10 In analysing the meaning of this holy saying we say that ‘treasure’ is something that is both beautiful and valuable. The treasure referred to is the great Godly Beauty and the supreme Perfection which were ‘hidden’, and unknown to anyone. The phrase ‘I liked to be known’ refers to the Generosity and Kindness of Almighty God. It was the Aim of the most Generous (Al’lah) to expose and display His Generosity and Kindness. ‘And so I created Creation’ refers to the purpose of our creation, which is the enjoyment of observing the Godly Beauty, and becoming engrossed in watching that endless Perfection. It indicates that God created the whole of Creation in the world called al-Azal, the pre-existent world. ‘I acquainted them with Me’ means that He showed them His Greatness and Benevolence in creating them. ‘They knew Me through Me’ indicates that by looking at themselves they could know Him, after which they could enjoy watching this Glorious Treasure as they gazed upon a part of His Beauty and Perfection.

Godly Justice and the Equality of Creation in the Pre-material World

When Creation was first brought into existence by Almighty God in the pre-existent world known as al- Azal it was made up of abstract spirits having no shape or substance. All of Creation was of a single type and composition with no difference between them. And they basked in the sublime pleasure of experiencing the great Godly Beauty, the Glorious Treasure. Then God created life as we now know it within this existence. This includes our earthly planet and all its creatures, and all else that now exists on this earth or in the universe, such as mankind, animals, the angels and jinns (ghostlike demons), the sun, moon and stars; in fact, the list is endless.

Before continuing with this important issue, it is first necessary to understand what is meant by the words ‘abstract spirits’, or more properly speaking, learn about the elements of human composition. This is explained as follows:

Components of the Human Being

The human being is made up of three components: the spirit, the soul and the physical body, all of which were created by God. In order to know about each of these elements we will start with an explanation of the human spirit as it is the most important; it is the main component of this Creation and the reason for the existence and creation of this worldly life as well as of the great universe.

The Spirit

The spirit is the subtle consciousness of man. It is a Godly Light and its centre is in the chest. Its rays spread to all parts of the body through the nerves. This spirit, confined to the body, is aware of its surroundings through the five senses. It sees with the eyes, hears with the ears, smells with the nose, feels and touches with the skin and tastes with the tongue. The tongue is also used to express ideas and thoughts through speech.

For example, if one stands by the seashore, simply watching the sea and becoming aware of the constant movement of the waves, one will naturally be led to feelings of awe and reverence for it. These sentiments come from the ‘spirit’. If we see someone dear to us whose hand is bleeding from a bad wound, we feel sorry for him, and sympathise with him. This pain and grief also come from the ‘spirit’. If we hear that one of our dear relatives has returned safely from a long journey, we are happy at the news. These feelings of pleasure and happiness are possible because of the ‘spirit’. Thus, the spirit is the essential component of man. It glorifies and submits, grieves, enjoys, rejoices, feels contented or is annoyed and angry, and suffers. It is the very centre of our existence.

The spirit is the being which directs itself towards the Creator and communicates with Him. It is the spirit which bows and prostrates itself to Him, glorifies and reveres, thanks and praises Him, turns to Him in repentance and makes covenants with Him. The spirit is always addressed directly in the Qur’an. God says, ‘Oh, spirit in rest and satisfaction!’11 The spirit is charged with following the unswerving path, for God says, ‘Behold the spirit and [the Potency] that formed it to perfection, and inspired it with knowledge of its immorality and its piety: successful are those who purify it, and unsuccessful are those who corrupt it!’12

Moreover, the spirit is eternal, which means that it could never cease to exist. It experiences death, but this experience differs from one spirit to another according to its state when leaving the body. God says, ‘Every spirit shall have a taste of death: in the end to Us shall you be brought back.’13 The sinful spirit will receive painful treatment on Doomsday in order to be cured. God says, ‘Lest a spirit should [then] say, Ah! Woe is me for having neglected to be near to God, and was but among those who mocked!’14 The spirit that believes will enjoy remaining in Paradise, and will not want to leave. God says, ‘Therein shall you have all that your spirits shall desire.’15