Nur Muhammadi (another Hadith)
Shajara-t: Botanical Nature of Yaqin (Certitude)
Commonality between Peacock and Pearl
Reflection of Wujud Mutlaq (Absolute Being)
Al-Ittihad Al-Kauni: Synchronous Existence
Shajara Kulliya or Insan Kulli
Warqā’ (Green) Ring Dove (Mutawwaq)
Aql Al-Awwal (Primordial Intellect)
Salaam alaikum Jalal
You mentioned to me that the term morge sahar is not found in any of your Sufi dictionaries or philosophical writings of the past masters, and that the term might therefore be a modern Iranian one. (I see that the famous song goes back to 1906, when it became symbolic of constitutional revolution in Iran, and I assume the song could not have been so powerful if the idea of the morghe Sahar had not been current for some considerable time in advance of that.) Of course if the term is not ancient, then it becomes irrelevant to my studies.
However, before letting go of it, I wondered if perhaps it had been imported from the Arabic and might have been an old term there, or might be related to some older ideas. So I consulted Lane and found in vol 8 (supplement area) 3019, mim-ra-ayn, given as “a bird so called”, and also “[a valley which] abounded with herbage”. (That sense also parallels the entry for tawus, in vol 5, 1890, where one of the meanings is “verdant land, wherein/whreon is every kind of plant/flowers in the days of spring” – going to want to come back to that, I think.)
In vol 4, p 1318, I found that sahar means “the time a little before daybreak” and “the last part of the night”, while in the same entry on p 1316, sahar (no 8), I found two references from the Sihar, Kamoos, and Taj el-‘Aroos, where “he [a cock] crowed at the time called sahar“, and “he [ a bird] sand, warbled, or uttered his voice, at that time”.
I don’t know what words were used for the cockerel and the bird (“he”), but I wondered if these references might justify seeing the idea of a morning bird as an ancient one in Arabic circles.
Ruzbihan Baqli (1128-1209) seems to have designated birds in many ways. Carl Ernst notes that for him birds often appear as personifications of Qur’anic verses and hadiths One of these apparently is the “bird of Qur’anic theophany”, which he quotes as saying “If from the suffering of love I heard the call of the birds of the morning of ‘God spoke [to Moses] (Q4:164), I would be the partner and companion of the Sinai of ‘There is no conspiracy (Q 58:7)’ (Sharh-i shathiyyat, 229)
Here is the article: http://jalal.untiredwithloving.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Symbolism-of-Bird-and-Flight-Ruzbihan-Baqli-Carl-Ernst.pdf
Al-Ghazali (1058-1111), in his Ayyuha l-walad (Letter to a Disciple), refers to the “caller beneath the Throne”, which calls in the latter part of the night and when the dawn breaks, and this would appear to be a reference to the rooster angel.
And he and ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Muhammad al-Tha’alibi (961-1038), Thimar al-qulub (Fruit of the Hearts), also attribute a saying to Luqman the Wise about the rooster calling out before daybreak in this way.
Here is the source:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0MDO/is_3_33/ai_n16619186/pg_4/
I don’t have the Arabic! But I am wondering if these references might suggest the concept of a morghe sahar (more sahar) in the early Arabic sources?
Two sets of terminologies from Futuhat, INSHALLAH translate in parts, already the concepts were reflected in the earlier posts.
وما السكينة قلنا ما تجده من الطمانينة عند تنزل الغيب بالحرف فان قلت وما الحرف قلنا ما يخاطبك به الحق من العبارات مثل ما انزل القران على سبعة أحرف والحرف صورة في السبحة السوداء فان قلت وما السبحة قلنا الهباء الذي فتح فيه صور أجسام العالم المنفعل عن الزمردة الحضراء فان قلت وما الزمردة الخضراء قلنا النفس المنبعثة عن الدرة البيضاء فان قلت وما الدرة البيضاء قلنا العقل الأول صاحب علم السمسمة فان قلت وما السمسمة قلنا معرفة دقيقة في غاية الخفاء تدق عن العبارة ولا تدرك بالأشارة مع كونها ثمرة شجرة فان قلت وما هذه الشجرة قلنا الانسان الكامل مدبر هيكل الغراب فان قلت وما الغراب قلنا الجسم الكل الذي ينظر إليه العقاب بوساطة الورقاء فان قلت وما العقاب قلنا الروح الإلهي الذي ينفخ الحق منه في الهياكل كانها أرواحها المحركة لهاوالمسكنة والورقاء النفس التي بين الطبيعة والعقل ودون الطبيعة هي العنقاء فان قلت وما العنقاء قلنا الهباء لا موجود ولا معدوم على انها تتمثل في الواقعة فان قلت وما الواقعة قلنا ما يرد على القلب من العالم العلوي بأي طريق كان من خطاب أو مثال أو غير ذلك على يد الغوث فان قلت وما الغوث قلنا صاحب الزمان وواحده وقد يكون ما يعطيه على يد إلياس فان قلت وما إلياس قلنا عبارة عن القبض وقد يكون ما يعطيه على يد الخضر فان قلت وما الخضر قلنا عبارة عن البسط وهذه العطايا من بحر الزوائد فان قلت وما الزوائد قلنا زيادات الايمان بالغيب واليقين ولها رجال مخصوصون ذكرناهم في أول الباب فانهم موقنون هم عشرة أشخاص لا يزيدون ولا ينقصون غير انهم قد يكون منهم نساء يوجدهم الاسم والرسم فان قلت وما الاسم والرسم قلنا الرسم نعت يجري في الأبد بما جرى في الأزل والاسم الحاكم على حال العبد في الوقت من الاسماء الإلهية عند الوصول فان قلت وما الوصل قلنا أدراكالفائت وهو أول الفتوح فان قلت
الفصل الرابع عشر في الاسم الإلهي الآخر وتوجهه على خلق الجوهر الهبائي الذي ظهرت فيه صور الأجسام وما يشبه هذا الجوهر في عالم المركبات وتوجهه على إيجاد حرف الحاء المهملة من الحروف وإيجاد الدبران من المنازل اعلم أن هذا الجوهر مثل الطبيعة لا عين له في الوجود وإنما تظهره الصورة فهو معقول غير موجود الوجود العيني وهو في المرتبة الرابعة من مراتب الوجود كما هو الحاء المهملة في المرتبة الرابعة من مخارج الحروف في النفس الإنساني غير أن الحرف له صورة لفظية في القول محسوسة للسمع وليس لهذا الجوهر الهبائي مثل هذا الوجود وهذا الاسم الذي اختص به منقوله عن علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه وأما نحن فنسميه العنقاء فإنه يسمعبذكره ويعقل ولا وجود له في العين ولا يعرف على حقيقة إلا بالأمثلة المضروبة كما أن كون الحق نور السموات ةالأرض لم يعرف بحقيقته وإنما عرفنا الحق به بضرب المثل فقال مثل نوره كمشكاة الآية فذكر الأمور التي تنبغي للمصباح المشبه به نور السموات والأرض وهو الذي أنارت به العقول العلوية وهو قوله السموات والصور الطبيعية وهو قوله الأرض كذلك هذا المعقول الهبائي لا يعرف إلا بالمثل المضروب وهو كل أمر يقبل بذاته الصور المختلفة التي تليق به وهو في مل صورة بحقيقته وتسميه الحكماء الهيولي وهي مسألة مختلفة فيها عندهم ولسنا ممن يحكي أقوالهم في أمر ولا أقول غيرهم وإنما نورد في كتابنا وجميع كتبنا ما يعطيه الكشف ويمليه الحق هذا طريقة القوم كما سئل الجنيد عن التوحيد فأجاب بكلام لم يفهم عنه فقيل له أعد الجواب فإنا ما فهمنا فقال جواب آخر فقيل له وهذا أغمض علينا من الأول فأمله علينا حتى ننظر فيه ونعلمه فقال إن كنت أجريه فإنا أمليه أشار إلى أنه لا تعمل له فيه وإنما هو بحسب ما يلقي إليه مما يقتضيه وقته ويختلف الإلقاء باختلاف الأوقات ومن علم الإتساع الإلهي علم أنه لا يتكرر شئ في الوجود وإنما وجود لأمثال في الصور يتخيل أنها أعيان ما مضى وهي أمثالها لا أعيانها ومثل الشئ ما هو عينه واعلم أن هذا المعقول الرابع من وجود العقل فيه تظهر العين التي تقبل حكم الطبيعة وهو الجسم الكل الذي يقبل اللطيف والكثيف والكدر والشفاف وهو الذي يأتي ذكره في الفصل الثاني بعد هذا وهذا المعقول إنما قيدنا مرتبته بأنها الرابعة من حيث نظرنا إلى قبوله صورة الجسم خاصة وإنما بالنظر إلى حقيقته فليست هذه مرتبته ولا ذلك الاسم إسمه وإنما الذي يليق به الحقيقة الكلية التي هي روح كل حق ومتى خلى عنها حق فليس حقاً ولهذا قال عليه السلام لكل حق حقيقة فجاء باللفظ الذي يقتضي الإحاطة إذا تعرى عن القرائن المقيدة وهو لفظة كل كمفهوم العلم والحياة والإرادة فهي معقولة واحدة في الحقيقة فإذا نسب إليها ذلك الأمر الخاص بحسب ما تقتضيه تلك الذات المعينة فإن اتصفت تلك الذات بالقدم اتصفت هذا الأمر بالقدم وإن اتصفت بالحدوث اتصف هذا الأمر بالحدوث والأمر في نفسه لا يتصف بالوجود إذ عين له ولا بالعدم لأنه معقول ولا بالحدوث لأن القديم لا يقبل الإتصاف به والقديم لا يصح أن يكون محلا للحوادث ولا يوصف بالقدم لأن الحادث يقل الإتصاف به والحادث لا يوصف بالقديم ولا يصح أن يكون القديم حالاً في المحدث فهو لا قديم ولا حادثفإذا اتصف به الحادث سمى حادثاً وإذا اتصف به القديم سمى قديماً وهو قديم في القديم حقيقة وحادث في المحدث حقيقة لأنه بذاته يقابل كل متصف به كالعلم يتصف به الحق والخلق فيقال في علم الحق أنه قديم فإن الموصوف به قديم فعلمه بالمعلومات قديم لا أول له ويقال في علم الخلق أنه محدث فإن الموصوف به لم يكن ثم كان فصفته مثله إذ ماظهر حكمها فيه إلا بعد وجود عينه فهو حادث مثله والعلم في نفسه لا يتغير عن حقيقته بالنسبة إلى نفسه وهو في كل ذات بحقيقته وعينه وما له عينوجودية سوى عين الموصوف فهو على أصله معقول لا موجود ومثاله في الحس البياض في كل أبيض والسواد في كل أسود هذا في الألوان وكذلك في الأشكال التربيع في كل مربع والإستدارة في كل مستدير والتثمين في كل مثمن والشكل بذاته في كل متشكل وهو على حقيقته من المعقولية والذي وقع عليه الحس إنما هو المتشكل لا الشكل والشكل معقول إذ لو كان المتشكل عين الشكل لم يظهر في المتشكل مثله ومعلوم أن هذا المتشكل ليس هو
Discourse of the Pitch-Black Raven
Then the Raven stood up (to be distinguished) and said: I am the scaffold for lights (pl.) and the transporter of the place of Al-Asrar (i.e. Divine Observatory) and the place of Al-Kaif (How-ness qualitative) and the place of Al-Kam (How-much-ness quantitively) and the instrument of joy and soffow, the leader of the followers, the ‘sense’ and the ‘sensed’ are for (from) me. Through me emerged the material designs (blue-prints) and from on me (from me) stood the realm of corporeal bodies.
Discourse of The Alien ‘Anqā’
And when the Eagle finished his words elucidating his rank, ‘Anqā’, stood (to be seen), elucidated the nature of her existence and like a sun set at her boundary of greatness (disappeared into the sunset).
She said: I am the ‘Anqā’ Mugharrib (Alien), my dwelling ceases not to be in Mugharrab (Exiled), a middle place, on the banks of surrounding sea.
Greatness has surrounded me from both sides (Spiritual Realm vs. Corporeal Realm) and for my existence there has never be any contrast (to be seen by any eyes).
All boundaries/limits are due to me (or end at me) and existence of all things stops/ends at me. I am heard (or talked about) but not seen (invisible), and I am not fictitious. I am the absent ‘Anqā’, my mother the Green Ring Dove and my father the Regal Eagle and my child the Pitch-Black Raven.
I am of the race of Light and Darknesses (I am made from elements of light and darknesses). A place for both trust and suspicion. I have no Qabiliyat (Receptivity) for the Absolute Light and have cognizance of any knowledge since I am (extremely) uncommon (no one can have any cognizance of me since I am so acutely unusual).
Lisan Al-Arab
Ibn Manzur
Anqa a large bird that is not eagle.
It is said (by the Arab): ‘Anqā’ Mugharrib i.e. there is no root for the word (it is a word by itself without any derivation from any other word, since most Arabic words are derivations from three-letter verbs of the form fa’ala).
Jalal: Due this attribute the ‘Anqā’ Mugharrib has no beginning unlike the Regal Eagle.
It is said: It is called ‘Anqā’ since the neck (‘Unuq) is white like a ring.
Al-Zajaj: ‘Anqā’ Mugharrib is a bird no one has seen. (Hence the estranged uncommon comments in Ibn Arabi’s text).
Allah created in the time of Moses peace be upon him a special bird, her name Anqa’, She had 4 wings in either side, and her face like a human, and gave her many goodness and beauty, and Allah created for her a male mate, and Allah inspired Moses that I have created a strange couple of birds, and gave her provision amongst the wildlife of Holy House of Jerusalem, and I made them company for you even as additional blessings for the children of Israel and Allah made these birds flourish.
And after Moses died they moved to Najd and Hijaz (around Saudi Arabia) and they did not descent to hunt and dropped their offsprings until a prophet called Khaled Ibn Sanaan appeared between the Jesus and Muhammad’s time. And they complained to this prophet (sorrowing for absence of Moses) and the prophet asked Allah to make them extinct and they gradually disappeared.
عن ابن عباس: إن الله خلق في زمان موسى عليه السلام طائراً اسمها العنقاء، لها أربعة أجنحة من كل جانب، وجهها كوجه الإنسان، وأعطاها من كل شيء حسن قسطاً، وخلق لها ذكراً مثلها، وأوحى إليه أني خلقت طائرين عجيبين، وجعلت رزقهما في الوحوش التي حول بيت المقدس، وآنستك بهما وجعلتهما زيادة فيما فضلت به بني إسرائيل. فتناسلا وكثر نسلهما.
فلما توفي موسى عليه السلام انتقلت فوقعت بنجد والحجاز، فلم تزل تأكل الوحوش وتخطف الصبيان إلى أن تنبأ خالد بن سنان العيسى بين عيسى ومحمد. فشكوها إليه، فدعا الله تعالى فقطع نسلها وانقرضت.
Discourse of the Regal Eagle
And when the Eagle heard what Green Ring Dove had mentioned to him and what she conveyed to him of indubitable knowledges, he then said: (Green Ring Dove) has veracity in what had claimed and she has emerged for you (pl.) of what she contains (of knowledge).
I said to him (Eagle): Fly through the atmosphere of your Bayān (Rigour) and elucidate for us your nature. The throne of the eagle shook and while he flapped his wings with joy:
I am the Eagle, for me most-high rank, the goodness, the most beautiful resplendent light
I execute the affairs, orderly, in compliance with wisdom
From the shores of the corporeal realm, my power forbids (or forbidden for me to enter this physical realm or the physical realm come close to me)
I was non-being without any ‘Ayn (Contrast to be seen), until Divine Providence (graceful attention) brought forth my existence, (an existence) with a beginning. And this was so due to IT lucently manifested (Tajalli) ITself to ITself, consequently my existence was prolonged by instrument of IT SEEING ITself.
consequently my existence was prolonged by instrument of IT SEEING ITself: IT shone light upon ITself, So IT sees ITs own Divine Beauty, and such process requires:
1. An Eye to see
2. Light to illuminate
3. Beauty to endue the seeing with Divine Gift of pleasure
From the leftover of 1-3 there was enough light and Eye to focus on a contrast to see the Eagle (Eagle contrasted), and as long as this light shines and this Eye sees the contrast (‘Ayn) then the Eagle prolongs to be.
…
Fly through the atmosphere of your Bayān (Rigour): The Regal Eagle is Al-‘Aql Al-Awwal (Primordial Intellect) as depicted in the Hadith (Prophetic Narration). The Aql is spatial i.e. has attributes of space, as those of our brain and thoughts. They, our minds and thoughts, have spaces within which they do signals, computations, thoughts and imagination and so on. Therefore the Eagle is told to fly i.e. move rapidly within the space of Primordial Intellect. Each motions becomes or rigorously brings forth knowledges or thoughts or rationalizations in most precise accurate manner hence the word rigour. In other words, when a bird flies in the atmosphere of this planet, it produces waves and eddies, sounds and images as the result of its motility. This Eagle in place of waves and sounds and images produces thoughts and knowledges and so on as the result of his motility.
I was non-being without any ‘Ayn (Contrast to be seen): Some entities might not have existence but can be SEEN, we all have experienced that, almost on daily basis when scientists imagine some fact (yet to be observed) or the weather man forecasts the future of the weather. Although the entity is not in existence, yet it has an image that forms in our minds, forms by the optical-like act of increasing its contrast so we can see it before it even becoming. So the Eagle said he was so non-existence that even did not have such an ocular image that could be contrasted and viewed.
(an existence) with a beginning: There are some forms of existence that have no beginning, there is no knowledge that can explain how the entity started. But the Eagle informs Ibn Arabi that he had a beginning. For example the Estranged ‘Anqa’ has no beginning, but Eagle does.
And I become ITs throne by (my) Sarira-t (Divine Observatory): When the light shone and when the Divine Eye saw the contrast that formed i.e. the Eagle, the Eagle itself developed an eye of its own, this de novo eye sees the Divine Knowledges and Divine Secrets like an observatory which is called Sirr in Sufism e.g. Sarira-t is another version of the word Sirr. Therefore people and things can use the Eagles new eye to see things about Allah and feel an ocular form of Divine Presence without actually seeing Allah and that is called the throne: Place a king is being exhibited to honour and adore and fear.
Ibn Arabi’s Circle
Ibn Arabi
“Rendition of the Aql (The Primordial Intellect): If Wujud (Being-ness) is a circle then the beginning of the circle is the Aql, that which entered within the Prophetic narrations i.e. it is the case that the very first of what Allah created was the Aql, the Primordial Common Ancestry of all species (genus) that ended the creation (speciation) towards the human specie i.e. the circle completed, and the human being reconnected to the beginning of the circle i.e. the Aql. And all the points on the circumference of this circle render all species created by Allah ranging from the Primordial Intellect (Aql) which is also the Qalam (The Divine Pen) up to the human being that is the final Maujud (Objectified Being). All the points on this circle radially point at the center, and that renders the relationship between all Maujud (Objectified Being) and Allah i.e. objects face Allah at all times.
Moreover Allah erected the Human Surat (Shape, Form, Attributes) like a tent pole, and the dome shaped consequent space holds the skies, kept in place ceaselessly due to the tent pole i.e. the human Wujud (Being). And if this Human Surat (Shape, Form, Attribute) ceases i.e. no one is left upon this earth breathing “then the skies split asunder in a flimsy day [69:16]” since the tent pole that was holding the dome structure has ceased, structure is being transferred due to the transfer of its holding pole i.e. as the human being is transported from this world to the hereafter, this life is destroyed due to the human transfer.”
Aql: The Primordial Beloved Intellect
“Allah created Al-‘Aql (Intellect) first and said to it: “Come forward” and it came forward, then Allah told it:” Go backwards” and it went backwards” said the Prophet, peace be upon him. In other versions: “Allah told it (Aql): Sit and so it sat, speak and so it spoke and told it : “Silence”! And it became silent”.
Further, Allah swears by Hu’s (His) own Might and Glory: “I have not created any creation more loved by Me other than you (Aql)”.
Further, Allah confirms the instrumentation of the ‘Aql: “With you I will praise! And with you I will endow! With you I will take and with you I will give!”
Note: The above Hadith (Prophetic Narration) may have missing persons in the chain of narration, however it was narrated from many companions and from the Prophet’s wife ‘Aisha and is commonly referred to by both Shiites and Sunnis scholars and of course by the Sufis.
It is clear from the above prophetic lections that ‘Aql (Intellect) is the beloved of Allah, a primeval Wujud (Being) as following:
1. Very close to Allah, as was said by the Prophet: “When people draw near to Allah via their righteousness, you draw close (instead) with your ‘Aql (Intellect)”.
2. Compliant with Allah’s orders
3. Self-aware; it knows it has been addressed and it complies
4. Endowed with speech and silence
5. Alive with some peculiar form of spiritual life
6. Endowed with physical attributes of motion i.e. forward and backward motion, stillness
7. An instrument/agent of some kind as said by the Prophet (reported by Ibn Abbas): “For every object there is equipment and instrumentation and the instrumentation for the believer is ‘Aql (Intellect)”.
8. The gifts of cognizance and creativity are endowed through the ‘Aql .
Qaisari/Jurjani
(Kasshaf Istilahat Al-Funun)
“Ta’ayyun is an entity/operation that allows for Imtiaz/Tashkhis (Discernment) of an object from all else that is not it.“
In modern English language Ta’ayyun means Ocular/Optical Contrast i.e. like a lens that goes in and out of focus thus making high-contrast detailed or low-contrast blurred images. As we read later on, the contrast might not be optical in nature e.g. contrasting a thought from all thoughts, but it is optical-like meaning Ta’ayyun shares some attributes in its operations with an ordinary camera lens.
Discourse of Warqā’ (Green) Ring Dove (Mutawwaq)
And when she (Green Ring Dove) heard the words of the Omnipresent Tree and what came to it (dove or tree?) from the gnostics of sempiternity, let out a loud call/chant midst the meadows of her (Tree’s) sanctities to CLEARLY announce herself (the dove).
Jalal: The said Ring Dove is green and the Tree is also green and as such the green dove is camouflaged! She needs to call out loud to attract attention to herself. “meadows of tree’s sanctities” indicates a realm where there is tree and nothing else. In other words Ring Dove is trying to become something other than the tree and yet she is stuck in the boundary of sanctity of tree-ness and cannot therefore become (to exist as a separate entity).
She (Green Ring Dove) said: When Allah willed to make my existence to become and to contrast my observations (discern me from the tree and all else so I can be observed) and to collar me with the collar of Bahā’ (Immense unbearable Beauty) and to place me to reside me in Sidra-t Al-Muntahā, therefore (for that purpose) called upon His Eagle and assured him he would be secure from any punishment while the Eagle was the His door’s courtyard, therefore the Eagle replied obediently (Affirmative): ” I heard Your call”.
Jalal: Green Ring Dove completely concealed within the verdant Omnipresent Tree and has no way of becoming something in and of herself until Allah wills her to become another entity discernible from from the Tree. For that to happen Ring Dove needs to contrast from the vernal background of the Tree since she is herself green. So Allah givers her Ta’ayyun (Contrast) because she could be an existence but not contrasting enough from the Tree. And Allah wished one more thing for her: to be collared! Animals are collared to be dragged and thus subjugated to the will of their owner. In this case the Ring Dove is collared and subjugated to immense beauty that no eye in cosmos has capacity to endure to enjoy in full! Bahā’ is used as the word for that collar which is related to the letter Ba (‘b’ sound in Arabic) and the first letter of Basmala (Bismillahi Al-Rahmani Al-Rahim) as the Divine letter of ignition i.e. every object is objectified only by the appearance and involvement of the letter Ba to commence to be.
Q: Why did Allah give the Eagle the immunity from punishment?
A: Because Ring Dove is within the ‘meadows of sanctities’ of the Tree and in order for the Eagle to help to become another entity all to herself and away by Sidra-t Al-Muntahā he needs to violate the sanctity of both Omnipresent Tree as well as the Sidra-t Al-Muntahā! These are punishable sins judged for the transgressors of the said trees. So Allah tells the Eagle not to worry he is give immunity.
Allah continues telling the Eagle: “You are in an estranged realm since you are in My close proximity (since there is nothing close to Allah due to Taqdis (sanctification)) and I (Allah) am not of your kind and for sure you are feeling lonely. However there is a delightful darling (Qurrat Al-‘Ain) within you (Eagle) make her emerge (become patent from deep within you) by using the contrast of intimacy by keeping her company and her conversations, for sure the intimate relationship of any kind with Me (Allah) is impossible since I am mighty in power”.
Eagle replies: How can I emerge anything from deep within me and my abilities are abysmal and no authority or power (within my reach)?
Allah replies: The prerequisite (for her emergence from deep with you) is cooing and she will then appear and this (regular back and forth cooing) is the method for Two-ness and union through being-Two.
Consequently (the Eagle) cooed and she (Green Ring Dove) emerged.
Cipher
Kitab Al-Istilah Al-Sufiyya
Ibn Arabi
Eagle: ‘Aql Al-Awwal (Primordial Intellect) or Qalam (Primordial Pen); gendered as male.
Al-Ittihad Al-Kauni
Ibn Arabi
Green Ring Dove: Al-Nafs Al-Wāhida-t or Al-Laud Mahfuz (Preserved Tables); gendered as female; singleton self/entity. See the word used in Qur’an:
4:1 O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a Nafs Al-Wahida, created, of like nature, his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- reverence Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah ever watches over you.
6:98 It is He Who hath produced you from a Nafs Al-Wahida: here is a place of sojourn and a place of departure: We detail Our signs for people who understand.
7:189 It is He Who created you from a Nafs Al-Wahida, and made his mate of like nature, in order that he might dwell with her (in love). When they are united, she bears a light burden and carries it about (unnoticed). When she grows heavy, they both pray to Allah their Lord, (saying): “If Thou givest us a goodly child, we vow we shall (ever) be grateful.”
31:28 And your creation or your resurrection is in no wise but as an Nafs Al-Wahida: for Allah is He Who hears and sees (all things).
39:6 He created you (all) from a Nafs Al-Wahida: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)?
“I am The Omnipresent/Ubiquitous/Universal Tree … with roots and branches…”
Qidam is the seed of all things. Qidam is the infinite past, or realm of actualities free of all potentialities and probabilities. Everything in Qidam is actual i.e. has no potentiality to become, it just is. And it is so actualized and certain that it has the feel of the past, since all things in past are actual and exact since they already happened. There are no potentialities in the past, it either happened or not.
Our universe, here, is a universe of potentialities. Flip a coin, it is either Head (H) or Tail (T). No event has any certainty for its outcome.
Q: How did the universe of Qidam (Infinite Past) free of all potentialities, link to our fully potential-probabilistic present universe?
If you could imagine flipping a coin in Qidam there are no discernible outcomes. Head (H) and Tail (T) are one and the same i.e. had you flipped a coin you would have got both H and T at the same time since you could not tell them apart.
As you move away from Qidam i.e. become closer to the present moment, little by little two outcomes become almost discernible. If you flip a coin here then there are two outcomes, H and T and both happen at the same time.
Move more and more towards this present moment and H and T become more discernible and yet one and the same thing.
There arrives a time, quite close to the present moment, when suddenly there are two distinct outcomes to the flipping of the coin i.e. H and T and there are now two different entities as the outcome of the flipping.
Imagine all the events in the cosmos going through the same process all those branchings assemble to a tree:
And this tree, of course, is Omnipresent or Universal.
At the end of the book Ibn Arabi calls this Omnipresent Tree another name Insan Al-Kulli which can have two meanings:
1. Omnipresent Human Being
2. Omnipresent Eye
Omnipresent Human Being
All potentialities in our universe is caused by the appearance of human beings i.e. exit of man from Qidam (Infinite Past) into the present moment. It is the nature of the human essence that causes all the potentialities in the universe. Thus the said tree is really the structure of human presence in this world, connecting Qidam to present moment.
Omnipresent Eye
Our vision and for that matter all our senses operate in the past i.e. immediate past. What you see of the words in this sentence appeared few micro seconds ago to your eyes but it takes a bit of time to transfer and process in the brain to understand. Therefore your eyes are always viewing the past! Consequently you are looking backwards along the branches towards the trunk/root of the said tree whenever you look! So this tree is really a structure attached to your eye, an extension of your biological eyes.