Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Say: “I admonish you in but one thing: that you stand up for God.” It is said that standing up for God is the center point of the compass of the Tariqah and the pivot of the secrets of the Haqiqah. Whoever leaves self-governance behind and places his work with the Real will reap the fruit of the goodly life [16:97]. Do you not see that the chevaliers who were the Companions of the Cave left themselves behind, put aside self-governance, and turned their faces toward the threshold of lordhood, as the Exalted Lord says: “We placed a tie on their hearts when they stood up” [18:14]. Look how He gave them a place in the cave of jealousy with the shade of kind favor and the embrace of friendship. The sunlight of form and its shining had not the gall to circle around their cave of jealousy. The light of the sun was incapable in relation to the lights of their secret cores, for the light of the sun is for brightening creation, and the lights of their secret cores were for recognizing the Real. Let go of the moons, dimming or brightening- we have a full moon to which all full moons are abased. The light of the sun is the light of form, and the light of their hearts was the light of the secret core. When the radiance of the sunlight of form reached them, it pulled back its skirt from the shining radiance of their secret core's light. The Lord of the Worlds says, “Thou wouldst have thought them awake, but they were sleeping” [18:18]. This is the attribute of the Folk of the Tariqah. When you look at their outwardness, you see them busy in the playing fields of deeds. When you look at their secret cores, you see them detached in the gardens of the gentleness of the Possessor of Majesty. Outwardly active, inwardly they gaze on the gentleness of the Beginningless. With Thee alone we worship [1:5] they have bound the belt of struggle. With and Thee alone we ask for help [1:5] they have placed the crown of contemplation on their heads. On the inside they wear the undershirt of surrender, and on the outside they have covered themselves with the caftan of deeds.

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi — Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi

Say: “The truth has come, and falsehood does not originate, nor make return.” On the day God's Messenger put his blessed foot inside the Kaabah-when ʿUmar KhaṬṬāb had arrived at the exaltedness of submission, and the faithful were happy at his submission, though he had placed many idols inside the Kaabah-the Messenger had a stick in his hand with which he was striking the chests of the idols, saying, “The truth has come and falsehood has vanished away [17:81], The truth has come, and falsehood does not originate, nor make return.” ʿUmar was say-ing, “O idols, this is AḤmad. This is God's messenger in truth, so bear witness. If what he says is true, then prostrate yourselves!” The idols all at once fell down in prostration. O chevalier! Which day will it be when the messenger of realization along with the ʿUmar of assent enters the Kaabah of your breast at the instruction of success-giving? It will topple the idols of caprice and avarice, and they will call out, “The truth has come, and falsehood does not originate, nor make return.” “So the sorcerers were cast down in prostration [7:120]. What do you say? Did they come and prostrate themselves? Or did We bring them into prostration?” A serving boy was walking with his master. The boy went into a mosque, said his prayers, and remained for a long time in the pleasure of whispered prayer. The master said, “Come out, boy!” He said, “He won't let me.” He said, “Who won't let you come out?” He said, “The same one who won't let you come in.” It is no wonder that a hearing, speaking, knowing person should prostrate himself. The won- der is that ʿUmar said, “O unhearing, unspeaking idols, if MuḤammad's religion is the truth, pros- trate yourselves,” and at once all of them prostrated themselves. O pure Lord! Two improper, ugly things were placed before ʿUmar: enmity toward the Mes- senger and coveting this world. Then there appeared such a beautiful state from their midst, for ʿUmar was adorned with the ornament of submission. In the same way, two improper things were placed before Pharaoh's sorcerers: one enmity toward Moses and the other Pharaoh's rulership. Then from the midst an exalted secret appeared, so the sorcerers were cast down in prostration.