The Abrahamic reality

This station (maqam) is most majestic and abounding in blessings. In this station the noble Prophets (upon them be blessings and peace) are followers of Hazrat Ibrahim (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace). It is for this reason that Allah Most High commanded even the Master of the Prophets ﷺ to follow the way (millat) of Ibrahim. This is also why, in the Ibrahimi Durood that is recited in Salah, the Master of the World ﷺ likened the blessings and graces he sought for himself to the blessings and graces of Hazrat Ibrahim (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace). The goodness and blessing of this station can be well gauged from the Ibrahimi Durood. Reciting Durood in abundance is a means of progress in this station. Here the wayfarer (salik) attains a special intimacy and a particular private seclusion with Allah, the Real, Glorified be He; and the attributes of belovedness (mahbubiyyat), which in the metaphorical world ('alam-e-majaz) is the name for the belovedness of the beloved's features, stature, cheeks and the like, become manifest in this station. (Anhar-e-Arba'a)

The Reality of Musa

After the journey (sayr) through the above-mentioned station is complete, the wayfarer's journey begins in the circle (da'ira) of the Reality of Musa (Haqiqat-e-Musawi), which signifies pure essential love. In this station a wondrous state manifests with full force: the love of the Essence for Its own Essence becomes manifest, and despite the manifestation of essential love, the majesty of self-sufficiency and independence (istighna) is also clearly revealed. This is why at times words issued from Hazrat Musa (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace) in the Divine court whose outward sense suggests a lack of courtesy (adab).

Many noble Prophets (peace be upon them) reached this station by following and obeying Hazrat Kalimullah (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), and became distinguished in nearness (qurb) and divine companionship (ma'iyyat).

The Reality of Muhammad

Above the station of the Reality of Musa is the rank of the Reality of Realities (Haqiqat al-Haqa'iq), which is named the Reality of Muhammad (Haqiqat-e-Muhammadi), upon its possessor be blessings and peace. In this station meditation (muraqaba) is made upon that Essence which is Itself the lover and Itself the beloved; it is as though the two letters mim in the word "Muhammad" point to this lovingness (muhibbiyyat) and belovedness (mahbubiyyat). In this station a particular kind of annihilation and subsistence (fana and baqa) becomes manifest, and a special union (ittihad) is attained with that Master of the religion (may Allah bless him and his family and grant him peace). What the great friends of Allah (awliya) have said, that the intermediary is lifted from between, has its true reality made known in fact at this very station.

Here the follower takes on such a resemblance to the one followed that it is as though the very name of following has been lifted from between them, and it is felt and imagined that whatever spiritual grace (fuyuz) the follower receives from the one followed, he is receiving from the source itself; it is as though both are drinking water from one spring, and the two appear blended together like milk and sugar. Despite this, in this station such a special affection and love for the Master of the Universe ﷺ is attained that the truth of this saying of Hazrat Mujaddid (may his secret be sanctified) becomes evident: "I love Allah, Mighty and Majestic, because He is the Lord of Muhammad ﷺ."

In this station the wayfarer comes to desire, to the utmost degree, to follow the Beloved of the Lord of the Worlds ﷺ in all his movements and stillnesses, religious and worldly. Abundant recitation of Durood Sharif is beneficial for progress in this station. Bear in mind that the Reality of Muhammad (upon its possessor be blessings and peace), which is the first manifestation, is the Reality of Realities in the sense that all other realities, whether the realities of the noble Prophets or the realities of the great angels and others (upon him and upon them be blessings and peace), are, in relation to his reality,

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That is, to love Allah, Mighty and Majestic, because He is the Lord of Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ.

like shadows (zill).

The Reality of Ahmad

After the Reality of Muhammad, the wayfarer arrives in the circle of the Reality of Ahmad (Haqiqat-e-Ahmadi), upon its possessor be blessings and peace. In this station meditation is made upon that Essence which is Itself the beloved. Here the lofty affiliation (nisbat) manifests with mighty rays of light, and such a wondrous and extraordinary state is attained as cannot be described in speech or writing. In this exalted station essential belovedness is unveiled; that is, there manifests that love which looks to the Essence itself, setting aside beautiful attributes, features, stature, cheeks and the like, which have already been described under intimate friendship (khullat). In the Essence of the beloved there is something that becomes the cause of the lover's passionate love, and it is a matter of inner taste (dhawq), such that until one tastes it, its savour cannot be found.

Regarding the realities mentioned above, I set down in writing a few points quoted from the Letters (Maktubat) of Hazrat Mujaddid (may his secret be sanctified), whose words are like sacred verses. The aim is both to clarify the matters mentioned and to warn people who are heedless of the lofty ranks of the great Prophets, so that they recognise the greatness of these holy souls and do not, by falling into insult and disparagement of them, make the fire of Jahim (Hell) their eternal abode.

The Secrets of Intimate Friendship

Hazrat Mujaddid (may his secret be sanctified) says: "Intimate friendship (khullat) is a very lofty station, abundant in blessing. In the metaphorical world, whatever intimacy, affection, tranquillity and comfort anyone has with another all comes from the shadows (zilal) of the station of khullat. The affection a father has for his son, a brother for his brother, and a husband for his wife: all of this is of the genus of khullat. If there were not khullat, intimacy and

affection between them, no compound would have come into existence, and no part of a compound, especially those parts that are mutually opposed, would have joined and bonded with another; indeed, no existence would have united with its quiddity (mahiyyat); indeed, no world would have entered under the creating act of the Necessary Being, Exalted is He, for it is love itself that set the chain of creation in motion and became the cause of the existence of things.

In the hadith qudsi it is stated: "I was a hidden treasure, and I loved to be known, so I created creation." And love (hubb) is the perfect instance of khullat. Between khullat and love (mahabbat) there is a relation of general and particular, for love is the name for intimacy and affection passing beyond the limit and increasing, which becomes a cause of captivity and brings restlessness and unease, whereas khullat is wholly the name of intimacy, affection and rest. It is love that created the world of captivity and became distinguished from the other instances of khullat, as though it had become another genus.

The skill that love has produced by becoming distinguished from the other instances of khullat is pain and grief, whereas khullat itself is all delight upon delight, joy upon joy, intimacy upon intimacy. Perhaps it is for this reason that Allah, the Real, Glorified be He, granted His Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace) the reward of his deeds in this world too, which is the abode of hardships, as well as in the Hereafter, as Allah Most High says:

"And We gave him his reward in this world, and indeed in the Hereafter he is among the righteous." (That is: We granted him his reward in this world, and indeed in the Hereafter he is among those worthy of Our special nearness.)

And since love became the source of pain and grief, every individual in whom love predominates will have

more pain and grief. That is why, concerning the state of the Master of the World ﷺ, the words "continuously sorrowful" (mutawasil al-huzn) and "constantly in thought" (da'im al-fikr) have been narrated, meaning that he ﷺ was always grieving and thoughtful. He ﷺ also said: "No Prophet was hurt as I have been hurt," that is, no Prophet was made to suffer as much as I have been made to suffer, because among human beings he ﷺ was the perfect individual in the attainment of love. Although he ﷺ is the beloved, since the relation of love came in between, the beloved too became enamoured and captive like the lover.

In short, all this manifestation is of khullat alone. Had there been no khullat, nothing would exist, and no one would come together with another or feel affection for him. The existence of the world and its order are both bound to khullat; had there been no khullat, its order would have been lost just like its existence. Thus khullat is the root of creation, both on the side of the Creator and on the side of existence, for it is khullat that made the contingent (mumkin) familiar with accepting existence and brought it into the bond of creation. Indeed, even non-existence ('adam) has found rest in its private chamber through the wealth of khullat, and has made do with its own nothingness (ba nisti-e-khud sakhta); indeed, by gaining intimacy even with its contradictory, namely existence, it has become a mirror of its perfections and the intermediary for the existence of contingent things. So khullat has proved more blessed than all things, and its blessings encompass both the existent and the non-existent."

Now that you have well understood the subtle insights (ma'arif) and the all-embracing blessings of the station of khullat, and have also learned that this station of khullat is originally (bil-asalat) particular to Hazrat Ibrahim Khalilullah (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), and that its sainthood (wilayat) is the Ibrahimi sainthood, then you

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1. One who is always sorrowful.

2. One who is always thoughtful.

should know that Hazrat Mujaddid (may his secret be sanctified) says: "Know that it has now been disclosed to this faqir, through the blessings of these insights, that the first determination (ta'ayyun-e-awwal) is the determination of the Holy Essence as Holy Existence (wujud), and that this first, existential determination is the Lord of Hazrat Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him and upon all the Prophets be blessings, salutations, grace and peace). That is why he became the leader of all. (Allah Most High says:)

"Indeed, I will make you a leader (imam) for mankind." And the Master of Mankind was commanded to follow his way: "and followed the way of Ibrahim, the upright," (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace). The remaining determinations are included within this existential determination: if it is the concise (ijmali) determination of knowledge, it is included within it, and if it is the detailed (tafsili) one, it too is contained within it. Perhaps it is for this reason that our Prophet ﷺ used to refer to Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) as father (abuwwa) and to the other noble Prophets as brothers (ukhuwwa), upon all of them be blessings and peace."

In another letter he says: "And what was finally unveiled, through generosity and grace, is this: that the first determination of the Holy Essence, Exalted and Sanctified, is the determination of existence, which encompasses all things, combines all opposites, and is pure good and greatly blessed, so much so that most of the masters (mashaikh) have held it to be identical with the Essence and have denied that existence is something additional to the Essence. It possesses the utmost subtlety and fineness; not everyone's sight can perceive it, nor separate it from its origin. Hence its being a determination remained hidden all this time, and it could not be distinguished from That which is determined.

A great multitude kept worshipping it, taking it to be Allah, and did not seek the Worshipped and Sought One beyond it. They took it to be the source of external effects and regarded it as the originator of daily events. The

wealth of distinguishing the Real from what is not the Real had been stored up for this poor one left behind, and the negation of any sharing between the Worshipped One and what is not worshipped was that leftover portion of the noble Prophets (upon them be blessings and peace) which had been kept preserved for this servant."

It has also been unveiled that this first existential determination is the Lord of Khalil al-Rahman (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), and that it is the source of determination (mabda-e-ta'ayyun) for him and for his khullat.

The Difference Between the Ranks of the Khalil and the Habib (Peace Be upon Them)

Hazrat Mujaddid (may his secret be sanctified) says: "It has also been unveiled that the centre of this (existential) determination, which is its noblest part and, among its other parts, stands nearest to the origin, is the Lord of Khalilullah and also the source of the determination of his love, upon him be blessings and peace."

Here a question could arise: if the first determination is the Lord of Hazrat Khalil, then what is the meaning of the saying of our Messenger (upon him and upon Khalil al-Rahman be blessings and peace), "The first thing Allah created was my light"?

Hazrat Mujaddid (may his secret be sanctified) says in reply: "The centre of a circle is prior (asbaq) to all the parts of the circle; moreover, the part has precedence over the whole. So inevitably the source of determination of the Prophet ﷺ, which he expressed as light, will be prior to everything, upon him and his family be blessings and peace. Although the centre of the circle is a part of the circle and the circle is its completion, it (the centre) is such a part that all the other parts have arisen from it, for the circumference of the circle and all the parts of the circle are shadows of that part which is the centre of the circle; had that part not existed, the circle would have had no name or trace.

So it has become clear that the Lord and source of determination of Hazrat Khalil is the first determination, and that the origin (mansha) of this first determination, which is the part that forms the centre and is the noblest of all its parts, is the Lord and source of determination of Hazrat, the Seal of the Messengers (upon him and upon them be blessings and peace). Therefore the reality of the Seal of Prophethood ﷺ is the most prior of all, and he is also the origin of the manifestation of all, upon him and upon all the Prophets be blessings and graces. That is why it has come in the hadith qudsi: Had it not been for you, I would not have created the heavens, nor manifested My Lordship."

And since the source of determination of Hazrat, the Seal of the Messengers ﷺ, is the centre of the circle of the first determination, which first determination is the Lord of the Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), inevitably the Muhammadan sainthood, whose origin is love (mahabbat), will be the centre of the sainthood of the Khalil, whose origin is khullat, upon its possessor be blessings and peace. And the sainthood of the Khalil, despite its being first, will not be a barrier or screen between the Muhammadan sainthood and the Holy Essence, Exalted and Sanctified, for the centre of a circle has essential precedence over the circle; hence what comes after will not stand as a barrier before what comes before; rather, the matter is the reverse.

Hear another reason for this centre's being near (to the origin) and prior! When, by the grace of Allah, Glorified be He, one travels far, far into this centre, then from that very point, whose bearer is love and in which lover and beloved become distinguished, the form of a circle appears, whose centre is belovedness and whose circumference is lovingness (muhibbiyyat); and this lovingness is the source of the Musawi sainthood (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), while the belovedness of this circle is the Muhammadan sainthood, upon its possessor be blessings and peace. So this centre of belovedness is ahead of, and nearer to the Holy Essence, Exalted is He, than that centre of lovingness which has become a circle, for the centre has a precedence and nearness that the circle does not have.

Likewise, this centre, in relation to the circumference of the circle, also has a nearness and precedence that the circumference does not have. Thus the Muhammadan sainthood proved more prior and nearer than even the Musawi sainthood, upon its possessor be blessings and peace.

Hear yet another reason for the nearness and precedence of the Muhammadan sainthood! When, by the grace of Allah, Glorified be He, one travels far, far into this centre of belovedness, that centre too appears in the form of a circle, whose centre is felt to be sheer (pure) belovedness, and whose circumference appears as a belovedness mixed with lovingness, which is the portion of one of the individuals of his Ummah.

(It is higher than) following him ﷺ, and indeed than following the Musawi sainthood (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), which corresponds to the circumference of the circle. For this reason it has been reported that the Muhammadan sainthood is the centre at every stage, and the origin of lovingness too comes from the blessings of this very sainthood, in that, because of the admixture of lovingness, it has become the second centre of the circle. Hazrat Mujaddid's (may his secret be sanctified) own words are: "That has become the second centre of the circle." And another centre arose from it. It should be known that much was accomplished before this third centrality, and it made things nearer than near.

In one place, answering a question, he says that arrival (wusul) at the Essence, like the self-disclosure (tajalli) of the Essence, Exalted and Sanctified, is of two kinds: one is arrival by way of sight (nazar), not of the one who possesses the sight, and the second is by way of the foot (qadam). In the first case only the sight arrives at the Essence, Exalted is He, not the possessor of the sight; and in the second the beholder, that is, the possessor of the sight himself, arrives.

The first kind of arrival, namely by sight, is originally the portion of Hazrat Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), because among the determinations the one nearest to the Holy Essence, Exalted is He, is the first determination,

which is the Lord of Hazrat Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace); until one reaches this determination, sight does not penetrate to what lies beyond it.

And the kind of arrival that is by way of the foot is originally particular to Hazrat Habib ﷺ, who is the Beloved of the Lord of the Worlds. The beloved ones are taken to that place which the Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace) is unable to reach; but in following the Habib ﷺ, the khalils too are taken there. It takes a khalil whose sight reaches the place of arrival of the Master of the Beloved Ones ﷺ and who does not fall short on the way.

In short, the self-disclosure of the Essence, in one respect, is originally particular to Hazrat Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), and the others are his followers in it; and in the second respect that self-disclosure is originally particular to Hazrat, the Seal of the Messengers ﷺ, and the others are his ﷺ followers. And since the second respect is stronger and more decisive in the degrees of nearness, inevitably the self-disclosure of the Essence came to have greater affinity with Hazrat, the Seal of the Messengers ﷺ, and became particular to him ﷺ. And he ﷺ and Hazrat Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace) became superior to all the other noble Prophets, upon him and upon them be blessings, peace and salutations.

Thus, among the Prophets, universal superiority (fazl-e-kulli) is the portion of these two alone, even though one of them (Hazrat Habib ﷺ) is superior to the other (Hazrat Khalil, upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace).

And since Hazrat Musa (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace) is the master of the lovers, just as our Prophet ﷺ is the master of the beloved ones, inevitably Hazrat Musa (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), by the rule "A person is with those whom he loves," has with the Holy Essence, Exalted is He,

a companionship (ma'iyyat) which others do not have. Moreover, in it he has such a foothold, purely by virtue of that love, that others have no access to that place. But this superiority comes down to a partial superiority (fazl-e-juz'i). It is said that it is equal to a universal one, since a large group of the noble Prophets (peace be upon them) are his followers in this station. Despite this, universal superiority is only that which is the portion of Hazrat Khalil and Habib, upon them both be blessings and salutations.

In one place, while describing the virtues of Hazrat Khalil (upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace), Hazrat Mujaddid (may his secret be sanctified) says: "But the belovedness that is the portion of Hazrat, the Seal of the Messengers ﷺ, prevailed over and outweighed all the degrees and virtues of nearness, and made him foremost of all. A thousand degrees of nearness cannot equal a single affiliation of belovedness. The lover holds his beloved dearer even than himself and desires him; what right do others have to seek to share with him?"