1. Islamic Intellectual Theology Lesson 9 – Tawheed Remaining Proofs of Existence of God The Existence of God and the Words of Ahlul Bayt (as) and Their Followers ICIS - MILANI Edited: May 27, 2009 - BHD

2. B. Proof of the Faithful Beloved Ones 1. This proof is in-line with the famous Mystic Mulla Sadra’s philosophy. 2. In the previous methods there was a mediation in the chain of analogy to prove the existence of God, other things were used as a mirror to reflect the existence of God, such as using the effects (possible things or movement…) to indicate its cause. 3. In this method there is no mediation which is used in every logical analogy or deduction (QIYAAS).

3. This Proof Indicates That 1. God is everywhere, is obvious and an indicator is not required to point towards Him. On the contrary the creation requires Him in its existence and its clarity and not the opposite. 2. Feeling the existence of God from inside (internally) without any requirement for an outside (external) indicator.

4. He is Obvious هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ [Shakir 57:3] He is the First and the Last and the Ascendant (over all) and the Knower of hidden things, and He is Cognizant of all things. Without Him and His light, every thing is dark, so every thing in the existence requires His light and His essence is needed to indicate other things, and not the opposite, He does not need other things to indicate Him. His light of existence and guidance shine for every one, but there are closed and curtained windows which prevent His light from coming into them, and those windows which are open, His lights enters those windows or hearts

5. The Open Light for Everyone اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونِةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاء وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ [Shakir 24:35] Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not-- light upon light-- Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things.

6. He is Everywhere and Not Hidden وَلِلّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّواْ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ [Shakir 43:84] And He it is Who is Allah in the heavens and Allah in the earth; and He is the Wise, the Knowing. [Shakir 2:115] And Allah's is the East and the West, therefore, whither you turn, thither is Allah's purpose; surely Allah is Amplegiving, Knowing. وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاء إِلَهٌ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَهٌ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ

7. Imam Hussain (as) and the existence of Allah (swt) إلهي ترددي في الآثار يوجب بعد المزار ‚ فاجمعني عليك بخدمة توصلني إليك "كيف يستدل عليك بما هو في وجوده مفتقر إليك أ لغيرك من الظهور ما ليس لك ، حتى يكون هو المظهر لك “O My God When I follow the signs (leading you) it makes my visit (to you ) further, let me come to you with service (and not signs) which makes me reach you. How can you be indicated by something need you in its existence Does other than you have obviousness more than you, in a way that it is required to make you obvious

8. متى غبت حتى تحتاج الى دليل يدل عليك ؟ ! ومتى بعدت حتى تكون الآثار هي التي توصل إليك ؟ !” عميت عين لا تراك عليها رقيباً، وخسرت صفقة عبد لم تجعل له من حبّك نصيباً. When were you absent (hidden) that you require an indicator which could indicate towards you And when were you ever far so that the signs are the ones which brings (me) towards You. Blind is an eye which does not see you observing over it, and loss is in a servant’s deal which does not have for him in it a share of love for you.

9. From the Encyclopedia of the Words of Imam Hussain (as) موسوعة كلمات الإمام الحسين : 743 عن حياة الإمام الحسين : 1/ 181 «إلهي أمرتَ بالرجوع إلى الآثار فأرجعني اليك بكسوةِ الأنوار وهداية الاستبصار حتى أرجعَ إليك منها كما دخلتُ إليك منها مَصونَ السرِّ My lord, you commanded (me) to refer to the signs (leading to you), but return me to you with the garment of (your) lights, and guidance of the insight, so that I can return to you from it as I entered to you from it securing the secret. From you I ask to come to you (not the signs), and through you I seek the direction towards you, so guide me towards you with your light, and let me stand in front of you with the true worship. منك أطلُبُ الوصول إليك وبك استدلُّ عليك فاهدني بنورك اليك وأقمني بصدْق العبودّية بين يديك

10. You Are Your Own Guide «أنتَ الذي أشرقت الأنوار في قلوب أوْليائك حتى عرفوك ووحَّدوك، وأنت الذي أزلت الأغيار عن قلوب أحبّائك حتّى لم يحبّوا سِواك ولم يلجأوا إلى غيرك، وأنت الذي هديتهم حيث استبانت لهم المعالم. You are the one who lighted the (your) lights in the hearts of your beloved ones until they knew you and accepted you alone (as their God) And you are the one who removed other than you from the hearts of your beloved ones until they stopped loving any one other than you, and they stopped seeking other than you. And you are the one who guided them, where ever the signs (towards you ) became obvious to them.

11. موسوعة كلمات الإمام الحسين : 743 عن حياة الإمام الحسين ماذا وجد من فقدكَ ؟ ! وما الذي فقد من وجدك ؟ !». وأنت الذي تعرّفت إليَّ في كلّ شيء فرأيْتُك ظاهراً في كل شيء … كيف تخفى وأنت الظاهرُ ؟ أم كيف تغيبُ وأنت الرقيبُ الحاضِرُ؟ What gain could a person have if he has lost you, and what loss could a person have if he has found you?! You are the one who made me know about every thing, so I found you obvious in every thing How can you be hidden and you are the obvious? And how can you be absent and you are the present guard?

12. Examples: يا من دل على ذاته بذاته, وتنزه عن مجانسة مخلوقاته,. يا من قرب من خطرات الظنون, وبعد عن لحظات العيون Dua al-Sabah: “Oh He Who indicates towards Him self by Him self. And is away from being a like of his creations O the one who can only be closer to the probabilities of the thought, and is away from the glance of the eyes بك عرفتك....وانت دللتني عليك...ودعوتني الي ولولا انت لم ادري ما انت.. Dua al-Sahar by Imam al-Sajad (as): “Through You, I have come to know You, and You guided me to wards You and invited me towards You, if it was not for you I would have not known you.”

13. Explanation  All this means is that Allah (swt) is more obvious than His creation.  Where ever you look you see Him more obvious than His creation, He is everywhere, He does not need an indicator.  In the “Sublime Wisdom” Mulla Sadra proves that Allah (swt’s) outward and inward presence are one, united in His essence (not to be mistaken for two existences).