Allah says in the Quran:

قَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ نُوۡرٌ وَّ کِتٰبٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ ﴿ۙ۱۵﴾

There has indeed come to you a light from Allah (i.e., Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]) and an Enlightening Book (i.e., the Holy Qur’an).(5:15)

Eventually, The exegetists have said that here the light means Prophet Mohammad and the enlightening Book means the holy Quran.

Allah also says:

مَثَلُ نُوۡرِہٖ کَمِشۡکٰوۃٍ فِیۡہَا مِصۡبَاحٌ ؕ اَلۡمِصۡبَاحُ فِیۡ زُجَاجَۃٍ ؕ اَلزُّجَاجَۃُ کَاَنَّہَا کَوۡکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ یُّوۡقَدُ مِنۡ شَجَرَۃٍ مُّبٰرَکَۃٍ زَیۡتُوۡنَۃٍ لَّا شَرۡقِیَّۃٍ وَّ لَا غَرۡبِیَّۃٍ ۙ یَّکَادُ زَیۡتُہَا یُضِیۡٓءُ وَ لَوۡ لَمۡ تَمۡسَسۡہُ نَارٌ ؕ نُوۡرٌ عَلٰی نُوۡرٍ ؕ یَہۡدِی اللّٰہُ لِنُوۡرِہٖ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ؕ

Meaning: The likeness of His Light (which is glowing in the world in the form of Muhammad’s Light [blessings and peace be upon him]) is as a niche-like (sacred breast) wherein is glowing the lamp (of Prophethood). The lamp contained in a crystal globe (the radiant heart of the Prophet Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]). This globe is (as dazzlingly bright owing to reflection of Allah’s Light) as a glittering star. (This lamp of Prophethood) is lit with the sacred olive tree (i.e., either due to the blissful communication of divine Revelation from the Realm of divinity, or owing to the blissful genealogical tree of the Prophets and the Messengers). It is neither (merely) eastern nor western (rather universal and cosmic in its generously infinite luminosity.

The likeness of this lamp of Prophethood is as if its oil (i.e., Light, due to its genuine and inherent potential capability) is glowing, though no fire (or the radiation of celestial miracles and divine Revelation) has even touched it yet. (So it) is Light upon Light (i.e., the Light of Prophethood upon the Light of the Holy Essence, denoting a Self-Embodying double Light). Allah takes to (the gnosis of) His Light whom He wills. (24:25)

In this verse also the light means Prophet Mohammad’s light.

According to Hazrat Ka’ab al-Ahbar:

Hazrat Ka’ab al-Ahbar says while elaborating these verses that:

“Allah has given the example of his Prophet Mohammad that the niche is his sacred breast. Certainly, the crystal globe is the sacred inward of Prophet Mohammad and the tree of prophethood is shining like a lamp and the gleam and brilliance of this Mohammadan light is manifested with such utmost perfection that if Prophet Mohammad does not proclaim that he is a Prophet even then it will be revealed on every creation that he is a Prophet.”

According to Abdullah ibn Abbas

The first exegetist of Quran Abdullah ibn Abbas elaborates this verse as:

“The niche is the sacred breast of Prophet Mohammad and the crystal globe is his radiant inward and the lamp is like the light in which Allah has placed it. It is neither eastern nor western, the sacred tree is shinning and that tree is Prophet Abraham. The Mohammadan light is on the light of Abraham about which Allah is saying ‘there is light upon light’.”

Hadith:

Moreover, Zayn Al Abidin relates from his respected father Husayn ibn Ali who further relates from Ali ibn Abi Talib that Prophet Mohammad said:

“ I was a light in the presence of Allah fourteen thousand years before the creation of Adam.” (Al-Ahqam Ibn al-Qattan)

Prophet Mohammad is the Light of Divinity

Without a doubt, Prophet Mohammad is the best among creation and most exalted and eminent among mankind. Moreover, from beginning of the time till end neither there is nor there will be anyone like Prophet Mohammad. Conclusively, He is the ultimate manifestation and the true representative of Allah, hence the actual light. After Prophet Mohammad his successors get this status through his medium. As a Hadith says:

“I am from Allah and all creation is from me”

As, Prophet Mohammad is the light of Divinity , so one who gets the gnosis of Prophet Mohammad, becomes his true heir and exact reflection.

Sultan Bahoo says:

When Allah desired (to be recognized), he separated Ism-e-Allah Zaat from Himself (i.e. manifested Himself in the form of Ism-e-Allah Zaat). From Ism-e-Allah Zaat the Light of Mohammad appeared. When the Divine Nature (Allah) beheld His reflection in the mirror of His Oneness (Ism-e-Allah Zaat) in the form of Light of Mohammad, he was fascinated and became fond of Himself and resultantly got the title of “Holy Lord of all the lords” and “Beloved of Allah” from His Own Divine (Ain-ul-Faqr)

Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani says:

Know that first of all Allah created Prophet Mohammad from His Light, as Allah says in the Quran:

I created the soul of Mohammad from my Light.

As, forgetting oneselves and drowning in the vision of the beloved (Divine vision) is the exalted level of the Mystics. So, when a seeker of Allah gains such perfection in the invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat, Allah blesses him with the Miraj of level of annihilation in Allah and annihilation in Hoo, and hence he becomes the perfect embodiment of Oneness.

As it is a Hadith:

Meaning: When Faqr is accomplished that is Allah.

So, he is the one who implements Faqr completely upon himself and reaches the level where his being annihilates in Allah and the difference of “you and I” finishes. This is such a unique state of Oneness with Allah where there is no duality. Hence, his speech becomes Allah’s speech, his sight becomes Allah’s sight, his hearing becomes Allah’s hearing, his walking becomes Allah’s walking.

Who is the believer?

Undoubtedly, the true believer is at such ultimate height of reality of mankind which has no decline. In fact, this is the level of annihilation in Hoo, level of Oneness, annihilation and immortality in Allah or level of Divine union. Eventually, at this level the believer is called “Universal Divine Man” or “accomplished man”.

The Universal Divine Man:

Aqal-e-Beydar

In Aqal-e-Beydar Hazrat Sakhi Sultan Bahoo says about The Universal Man that:

Since the Blessed Light of the leader of universe Prophet Mohammad sall’ Allahu alayhi wa’alihi wasallam was created from the Light of Allah and then, from the Light of Mohammad, as a result the entire creation came into being. Hence, the essence of man is Light and when on the basis of his virtues, his innerself, inward and soul turn into Light, then he becomes the Universal Divine Man

Ain-ul-Faqr

Without a doubt the Holy Prophet is the perfect and Universal Divine Man while all others have attained to the levels (of perfection and proximity to Allah) through him according to their (Ain-ul-Faqr)

Allama Iqbal says:

ہاتھ ہے اﷲ کا ، بندہ مومِن کا ہاتھ

غالِب و کار آفریں ، کار کشا کار ساز

خاکی و نوری نہاد ، بندہ مولا صفات

ہر رو جہاں سےغنی ، اس کا دِل بے نیاز

Meaning: The hand of a true believer (Universal Divine Man) is in fact, the Hand of Allah. Hence, He is predominant, the authoritative, problem solver and the ultimate help and favour. Although his existence is the combination of soil and Light but he possesses all the attributes of Allah. Like Him, he holds all the treasures and riches of both the worlds, yet his heart is indifferent to everything.

To say, the Universal Divine Man is attributed with the attributes of Allah. His inward is illuminated with the light of Light. He is neither Allah nor other than Allah.

Risala Roohi Sharif:

Sultan Bahoo says about the Universal Divine Man:

They have their steps on the heads of all the Saints, al-Ghawth and al-Qutb. It is absolutely correct to call them Allah, and if they are called Men of Allah, it is fine as This secret is known only to those who recognized them. Their status is the sanctuary of Divine Essence. (risala roohi sharif)

Ameer Khusrao says:

من تو شدم تو من شدی، من تن شدم توجان شدی

تاکس نگوید بعد ازیں ، من دیگرم تو دیگری

Meaning: I became you and you became me. I became the body and you became its life (soul). Now, no one can say that I am someone else and you are somebody else.

Ultimate Destination of Faqr

When Sultan Bahoo reached this destination of Faqr, he said:

When I reached the ultimate destination of Faqr, The Divine Decree came from The Majestic Court, “You are My Lover.” I submitted, “My humble self is incapable of the Love of The Majesty.” Then it was commanded, “You are My Beloved”. On this, I kept quite. The Sheen of Ray of Divinity submerged me into the Oceans of Divine Engrossment like a mere particle and The Divine Commandment came, “You are exactly Me and I am exactly you. With respect to Haqeeqat (The Divine Reality) you are My Reality and with respect to Marifat you are My Beloved and the secret of YaHoo lies in Hoo.”

The Sarwari Qadri Order:

The true spiritual order of Sultan Bahoo is the Sarwari Qadri order. The Sarwari Qadri order starts from Prophet Mohammad and reaches Hassan of Basra through Ali ibn Abi Talib and then step after step to Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani and then to Sultan Bahoo.

Undoubtedly, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman is the perfect Fakir who is light of Divine Essence, the Universal Divine Man and true representative of Prophet Mohammad in this era.

Mohammadan Reality:

It should be noted that Syed Abdul Kareem bin Ibrahim al-Jili says in his literary work of Insan-e-Kamil that:

As Mohammadan Reality manifests itself in every era, in the being of the Universal Divine Man of that age, according to the requirements and conditions prevailing in that So, The Universal Divine Man is the representative of Prophet Mohammad in that era.

Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen is on the footsteps of Prophet Mohammad like Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani and Sultan Bahoo. Moreover, he trains his disciples on the same pattern as Prophet Mohammad trained his sacred Companions.

What was the Prophet Mohammad’s method of training? Prophet Mohammad not only gave education of the Holy Quran to his Companions but also purified their innerselves by his spiritual sight and illuminated their inwards by the light of faith.

The spiritual sight of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen

Furthermore the spiritual sight of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen is the comprehensive and perfect reflection of this saying of Sultan Bahoo:

Their sight is the Absolute Light of Oneness and the alchemy of honour. On whomsoever the reflection of their hidden reality is cast, his whole being is transformed into the Absolute They do not need to engage their disciples in the struggle of apparent daily recitals and mystic exercises. (Risala Roohi Sharif)

The grandeur of Sultan ul Ashiqeen

The grandeur of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman is that instead of involving his disciples in forty days of seclusion or mystic prayers, he blesses him with the Divine vision and the presence of Mohammadan Assembly in a moment along with his perfect spiritual sight, ultimate spiritual powers and invocation and contemplation of Ism-e-Allah Zaat.

No doubt, only those people could benefit from the perfect spiritual sight of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen and Ism-Allah Zaat who are true seekers of Allah. This is because the spies and hypocrite disciples demand this imperfect world and hence remain deprived of this blessing.

پرتوءِ خورشید عشقتِ بر ہم تابد !

ولیکن سنگ بیک نوع نیست تا گوہر شوند

Meaning: Undoubtedly, The light of sun falls on every pebble but all of them does not have the ability to turn into rubies and pearls.

Allah blesses everyone according to his inward’s truthfulness

Allah blesses everyone according to his inward’s truthfulness. The spiritual status of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen is that apart from Pakistan he blesses the eternal presence in the Mohammadan Assembly to the seekers of Allah from foreign countries and guides them to pass the levels of Faqr. No doubt the perfect knower of Qadri order is omnipotent and present at every level.

ہر اِک زماں میں دار الشفا ہیں ، مختارِ صدراولیاء ہیں

ہر اِک کی آن میں شان نیارا ، سلطان محمد مرشد ہمارا

Meaning: He is the abode of cure in all times, he is the president of Saints. His grandeur is different in all ranks, he is Sultan Mohammad, our spiritual guide.

A Qudsi Hadith says:

“There are some of My men who are hidden under My robe and no one knows them except Me”.

This Hadith truly depicts the splendor of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen. The truth is that it is not possible to describe the grandeur and high spiritual status of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen in words. Moreover, only Allah and Prophet Mohammad are aware of his rank and dignified status.

خود ہی مصّور، خود ہی تصّور،خود ہی منوّر بصورتِ انسان

کمالِ الہی سارے کا سارا ، سلطان محمد مرشد ہمارا

Meaning: He is the painter, he is the idea as well. He is illuminated light in the form of man. All in all, he has entire marvels of Allah, he is Sultan Mohammad, our spiritual guide.

To know about the life of Sultan ul Ashiqeen and his endless blessings on his disciples, you can read the book “Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen” or visit:

https://www.sultan-ul-ashiqeen.pk

We pray that

May Allah shower his countless blessings upon Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen through the medium of His beloved Prophet Mohammad and may we get the gnosis of Allah under the supervision of Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen. Ameen.

Note:

This blog is English translation of an Urdu article of the magazine “Mahnama Sultan-ul-Faqr Lahore” for the month of February, 2019. The title of the Urdu article is:

“Noor-e-Ain” (نورعین) Originally penned by Anila Yaseen Sarwari Qadri from Lahore is presently in English by Zainab Moghees Sarwari Qadri, exclusively for websites. Do not forget to visit the original article to which you only have to click the link

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