Razi
al-Tafsir al- Kabir, al-Fatiha v. 7
The saying of
Allah
: "
Al-Hamndu
Lil-lahi" (All Perpetual Praise for
Allah) has
eight alphabets, the number of the gates of Paradise is also
eight, therefore he who recites these eight alphabets out of purity
of heart does deserve (the opening of) the eight gates of Paradise.
Know that indeed there are eight gates for Paradise, and in the rank
(
Maqam)
that you reach after reciting: I take refuge in
Allah from the
Sahytan the outcast (
'Auzu Billahi)...
one gate of the eight gates of
Paradise opens for you, that is the gate of Ma’refa (Divine
Gnosis). A second gate is that of al-Dhikr (
Remembrance)
as you are
reciting ‘
Bismil-lahir
Rahmanir Rahim’. The third gate is that of Shukr
(
Gratitude)
after reciting ‘
Al-Hamdu
Lil-Lahi Rabbil Alamin’. The
fourth gate is that of
Hope when you recite ‘
Ar-Rahanir
Rahimi’. The fifth gate is that of
Fear when you recite
‘Maliki Yaumid-Din’. The sixth gate is that of Purity born out of the
Ma’refa
(Divine Gnosis) of ‘Ubudiat (Servitude) and Rububiat (Divinity) in your
reciting ‘Iyyaka Na’budu Wa Iyyaka Nasta’inu’. The seventh gate
is that of Du’a (Invocation) in your reciting ‘Ihdinas Siratal
Mustaqim’. The
eight gate is that of‘Iqtidā’ (Emulation or following the example) of
the good and
pure souls, and of seeking guidance through their Nur (
Divine Light)
and
that is in your reciting of ‘Siratal La-Dhina…’
Now you know the secrets of the Eight Gates of Paradise and what is
referred to in Surat Sad (38) verse 50. ‘The Gardens of Eden with
opened gates for them’. For the Gardens of Divine Gnosis
have been opened by these spiritual keys, and this does Isharat (
Point)
to what happens during the Salat (
Prayer)
of Spiritual Mi’raj
(Ascension- like that of the Prophet to the
Heavens).
