Ace of Spades
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The term "origin" is meaningless without assuming the existence of what is "originated," and so on with all polar concepts, including the terms "God" and "Lord," which are significant only if the corresponding terms "worshiper" and "slave" are implied
The Reality gave existence to the whole Cosmos [at first] as an undifferentiated thing without anything of the spirit in it, so that it was like an unpolished mirror.
The Reality wanted to see His own Essence, in an all-inclusive object encompassing the whole [divine] Command, which, qualified by existence, would reveal to Him His own mystery. For the seeing of a thing, itself by itself, is not the same as its seeing itself in another, as it were in a mirror.
Al Arabi R.A describes it like a highly polished metal mirror. To begin with, such mirrors had to be kept polished in order to preserve their reflective qualities and, furthermore, it required great skill by the craftsman to make a perfectly flat surface. With such a mirror, therefore, there was always the possibility of surface deterioration and distortion. Thus, so long as the mirror was perfectly polished and flat, the observing subject might see his own form or image perfectly reflected on its surface, in which case the otherness of the mirror itself is reduced to a minimum in the observing consciousness, or even effaced completely. To the extent, however, that the mirror reflects a dulled or distorted image, it manifests its own otherness and detracts from the identity of image and subject. Indeed, the distorted and imperfect image presents something alien to the subject, who then may become involved in efforts to improve and perfect the mirror, so that he might achieve a more perfect self-consciousness. Thus, in the mirror we have a very apt symbol of the divine-cosmic polarity. At one extreme of the relationship cosmic Nature threatens to absorb and assimilate the subject in the infinity and complexity of his creative urge, while, at the other, the divine Subject seems to annihilate Nature in the reassertion of identity, each being, at once, another and non-other.
In this image, man is seen as the seal that seals and protects the cosmic treasure house of God and on which is stamped the signet of its Owner.
God unites the polarity of qualities only in Adam, to confer a distinction on him. Thus, He says to Shaitan, What prevents you from prostrating to one whom I have created with my two hands? What prevents Shaitan is the very fact that he [man] unites [in himself] the two modes, the [originated] Cosmos and the [originating and original] Reality, which are His two hands. As for Shaitan, he is only a part of the Cosmos and has no share in this Synthesis, by virtue of which Adam is the Regent. Were he not manifest [in the Cosmos] in the form of Him Whom he represents, he would not be the Regent, and were he not to comprise all that his dependent charges require or were he unable to meet all their requirements, he would not be the Regent. In short, the Regency is fitting only for the Perfect Man.
His outer form He composed of the cosmic realities and forms, while his inner form He composed to match His Own form. Thus He says in the Sacred Tradition, "I am his hearing and his sight," and not, "I am his eye and his ear," in order to show the distinction between the two forms [the imperceptible and the perceptible]. Likewise He is [implicit] in every cosmic being according as the essential reality [manifested] in that being requires it, providing it is understood that no other being enjoys the Synthesis [of divine realities] possessed by the Regent. It is only by virtue of this Synthesis that he is superior [to all other beings].
Adam is that single soul, that single spiritual essence from which humankind was created, as He says, 0 Men, fear your Lord Who created you from a single soul and created from it its mate, so that from them both there issued forth many men and women. His saying Fear your Lord means "Make your outer [transient] selves a protection for your Lord [your inner essential reality], and make your inner [reality], which is your Lord, a protection for your outer selves."
Extracts from his book "The bezels of wisdom"
@Slav Defence @Mangus Ortus Novem @jaibi @PakSword @SIPRA @H. Dawary
The Reality gave existence to the whole Cosmos [at first] as an undifferentiated thing without anything of the spirit in it, so that it was like an unpolished mirror.
The Reality wanted to see His own Essence, in an all-inclusive object encompassing the whole [divine] Command, which, qualified by existence, would reveal to Him His own mystery. For the seeing of a thing, itself by itself, is not the same as its seeing itself in another, as it were in a mirror.
Al Arabi R.A describes it like a highly polished metal mirror. To begin with, such mirrors had to be kept polished in order to preserve their reflective qualities and, furthermore, it required great skill by the craftsman to make a perfectly flat surface. With such a mirror, therefore, there was always the possibility of surface deterioration and distortion. Thus, so long as the mirror was perfectly polished and flat, the observing subject might see his own form or image perfectly reflected on its surface, in which case the otherness of the mirror itself is reduced to a minimum in the observing consciousness, or even effaced completely. To the extent, however, that the mirror reflects a dulled or distorted image, it manifests its own otherness and detracts from the identity of image and subject. Indeed, the distorted and imperfect image presents something alien to the subject, who then may become involved in efforts to improve and perfect the mirror, so that he might achieve a more perfect self-consciousness. Thus, in the mirror we have a very apt symbol of the divine-cosmic polarity. At one extreme of the relationship cosmic Nature threatens to absorb and assimilate the subject in the infinity and complexity of his creative urge, while, at the other, the divine Subject seems to annihilate Nature in the reassertion of identity, each being, at once, another and non-other.
In this image, man is seen as the seal that seals and protects the cosmic treasure house of God and on which is stamped the signet of its Owner.
God unites the polarity of qualities only in Adam, to confer a distinction on him. Thus, He says to Shaitan, What prevents you from prostrating to one whom I have created with my two hands? What prevents Shaitan is the very fact that he [man] unites [in himself] the two modes, the [originated] Cosmos and the [originating and original] Reality, which are His two hands. As for Shaitan, he is only a part of the Cosmos and has no share in this Synthesis, by virtue of which Adam is the Regent. Were he not manifest [in the Cosmos] in the form of Him Whom he represents, he would not be the Regent, and were he not to comprise all that his dependent charges require or were he unable to meet all their requirements, he would not be the Regent. In short, the Regency is fitting only for the Perfect Man.
His outer form He composed of the cosmic realities and forms, while his inner form He composed to match His Own form. Thus He says in the Sacred Tradition, "I am his hearing and his sight," and not, "I am his eye and his ear," in order to show the distinction between the two forms [the imperceptible and the perceptible]. Likewise He is [implicit] in every cosmic being according as the essential reality [manifested] in that being requires it, providing it is understood that no other being enjoys the Synthesis [of divine realities] possessed by the Regent. It is only by virtue of this Synthesis that he is superior [to all other beings].
Adam is that single soul, that single spiritual essence from which humankind was created, as He says, 0 Men, fear your Lord Who created you from a single soul and created from it its mate, so that from them both there issued forth many men and women. His saying Fear your Lord means "Make your outer [transient] selves a protection for your Lord [your inner essential reality], and make your inner [reality], which is your Lord, a protection for your outer selves."
Extracts from his book "The bezels of wisdom"
@Slav Defence @Mangus Ortus Novem @jaibi @PakSword @SIPRA @H. Dawary
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