Kitab Al-Insan Al-Kamil
Treatise 11
Exposition on realms of Mulk, Malakut & Jabarut
By Azized-Din Nasafi
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See Also:
http://www.untiredwithloving.org/nasafi_2_2_1.html
Background
The words Jabarut, Malakut and Mulk are found in Qur'an and Hadith
(Prophetic Narration):
Subhan
for the possessor of Jabarut and Malakut.
لسان العرب ابن منظور
وفي الحديث: سبحان ذي الجَبَرُوت
والمَلَكُوت؛ هو فَعَلُوتٌ من الجَبْر والقَهْرِ.
36:83 So Subhan
to Hu (IT,
Him) in Whose hand is the Malakut of all things
فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
67:1 Blessed be Hu (IT, He)
in Whose hands is Mulk
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ
Chapter 1: On the concept of ‘Ālam
(Universe, Realm)
Know—may Allah
honor you in both worlds—that ‘Ālam is the name for the Jauhar (A being
in no need of space) and ‘Aradh (A being
in need of space). An ensemble of some Jauhar (A being in no need
of space) and ‘Aradh (A being in need of space) is called Alam
(Universe, Realm). Each individual Jauhar (A being in no need of space)
or ‘Aradh (A being in need of space) is also called Alam.
Now that you know the meaning of the Alam (Universe, Space), know that
Alam exists and has external existence of two types:
1. Mulk: The corporeal observable universe that we
understand as here and the cosmos
2. Malakūt: The spiritual/intellectual realm where
the souls/intellects and all the spiritual faculties resides within
These two realms are called by many other names e.g. Alam (Realm) of
Mahsūs (Sensed by senses) and Alam of Ma’qūl (Intelligible realm) or
Alam of Khalq (Created Creation) and Alam of ‘Amr (Divine Ordainment)
or Alam of Shahadat (Observable) and Alam of Ghayb (Unseeable) or Alam
of Zulmani (Darkness) and Alam of Nurani (Lit) and so on. However no
matter what the coinage there is only two Alam: Mulk (The Corporeal)
and Malakut (The Spiritual and Intellectual).
O Dervish! The Alam (Realm) of Jabarūt is nothing like the other two
realms of Mulk and Malakut, since the realm of Jabarut has no external
existence or manifestations.
Dara: Honey has external existence, I can lick it weight it and
dissolve it. However the ‘taste of honey’ has no external existence. So
the ‘taste of honey’ exists but has no outer manifestation or external
existence in spite of its existence.
Mulk and Malakut and Jabarut are three universes and they belong to Allah. The
three realms are by each other, within each other and they are
inseparable. Alam (Realm) of Jabarut is the Dhat (Inmost Concealed
Core) of the realms of Mulk and Malakut. The realms of Mulk (The
Corporeal) and Malakut (The Spiritual and Intellectual) are two Wajh
(Faces, Outmost Surface) of the realm of Jabarut.
The Alam (Realm) of Jabarut is a Mujmal (Quantal) Kitab (Book) while
the realms of Mulk (The Corporeal) and Malakut (The Spiritual and
Intellectual) are Mufassal (Divisible & Detailed) Kitab (Book).
Dara: Quatal or Quantum-like means a special Being which once you tweak
its subparts or replace them with something exactly similar or even
look at them the entire object falls apart and becomes
non-existence. For example, a car is Mufassal it can be broken
down (divided) into sub-parts and details and you can remove a part and
replace it with something similar and the car still is a car! However
large part of the brain is Quantal i.e. if you slightly tweak some
nerve cells the entire psychology and physiology of that human being is
disrupted beyond repair and more than often the persona of the
individual wiped out of existence i.e. vegetating state. Note: Mujmal
is often used in its Ijmali form as well.
Alam (Realm) of the Jabarut is the very seed of both Mulk (The
Corporeal) and Malakut (Spiritual) realms i.e. the realms of Mulk and
Malakut are a tree (sprouted from the seed of Jabarut) while matter and
plants and all living animals are the fruits of this tree!
O Dervish! The truth behind these words is this: The Alam (Realm) of
Jabarut is the basis or the starting point for both Mulk (The
Corporeal) and Malakut (The Spiritual) realms. Both realms appeared and
became because of the Jabarut (The Seed of all realms). Whatever was
concealed and Mujmal (Quantal) within the realm of Jabarut (The Seed of
all realms) appeared and became Mufassal (Divisible & Detailed)
within the realms of Mulk (The Corporeal) and Makakut (The Spiritual).
In other words, it went from being a Dhat (Inmost Concealed Essence) in
Jabarut to becoming a Sifat (Attribute) in the realms of Mulk and
Malakut. Or it moved from the Alam (Realm) of Ijmal (Quantal Being) to
the Alam of Tafsil (Divisible & Detailed). And these words you
cannot comprehend unless by examples.
Know that the Alam-Saghir (Minor
Universe) is a copy and a Nemūdār (Vectorial
Abstraction) of the Alam-Kabir (Eminent
Universe) and whatever is in the Alam-Kabir is also found in
Alam-Saghir. So whatever is found within the Alam-Kabir (Eminent
Universe) it ought to have a Nemudar (Vectorial Abstraction) within the
Alam-Saghir (Minor Universe), otherwise any description of that object
is inaccurate and false.
Definition: According to the treatise 10 of Nasafi
Chapter 5 Nemudar of the beautitude of the Paradise are the temporal
pleasures on this earth and the Nemudar of the torments of the Hell are
the sufferings of humanity on this earth. Based upon this description
the best translation for the Farsi word Nemudar is ‘Abstraction’ of
something in some universe which is projected or imaged into another.
Due to this aspect of the projection or imaging then the attribute
‘Vectorial’ is added, so Nemudar is Vectorial Abstraction.
Now that you understand these introductory words, know that the Nutfa
(Fertilized Egg) is the Nemudar (Vectorial Abstraction) of the Jabarut
(The Seed of all realms) while human body and soul are Nemudar
(Vectorial Abstraction) for the Mulk (The Corporeal) and Malakut (The
Spiritual) realms. Since the Nutfa (Fertilized Egg) is the starting
point and basis for the body and soul or the body and soul
originated/appeared from the Nutfa. Whatever is concealed and Mujmal
(Quantal) within the Nutfa (Fertilized Egg) appears as Mufassal
(Divisible & Detailed) within the body and soul or it moves from
the Alam (Realm) of Ijmal (Quantal) to the Alam of Tafsil (Divisible
& Detailed) or from the rank of Dhat (Inmost concealed core)
reaches to the rank of the Wajh (Face, Outmost surface).
O Dervish! There is no better way to explain these concepts except by
corresponding the two realms as above. Whatever is within the
Alam-Kabir (Eminent Realm) its projection can be found within the
Alam-Saghir (Minor Realm). And if such projections cannot correspond to
the two realms the underlying concepts of that object is flawed.
After all what was said above, know that the intent behind these words
is this: All that exists is only one Wujud (Being)! And
Mulk (The Corporeal) and Malakut (The Spiritual) and Jabarut (The Seed
of all realms) are different levels/layers of this Singleton Wujud (Being). Now you
might call this unique Wujud (Being) with whatever names you like. If
you like to call it a single Shakhs (Discernable Person) you are
correct. If you like to call it a tree you are again correct. And if
you call it name-less then again you are correct as well.
Now that you understand that this is a single Wujud (Being) then
know that Jabarut (The Seed of all realms) is the Dhat (Inmost
Concealed Core) of this Wujud (Being). Mulk (The Corporeal) and Malakut
(The Spiritual) realms are the faces of this Wujud (Being) and each a
level/rank/layer of this Wujud and thus
the Sifat (Attributes) of this Wujud or the Names of this Wujud within
the rank of Wajh (Face, Outermost Surface/level) and they are the Fa’l
(Actions) of this Wujud within the rank of Nafs (Autonomous Self).
O Dervish! The above was the Ijmali (Quantal) description of Mulk (The
Corporeal) and Malakut (The Spiritual) and Jabarut (The Seed of all
realms) universes. Many of the sages and scholars are perplexed about
these concepts and find them difficult to deal with. It is one of the
most paramount issues for the Salik (The
Spiritual Traveler) the very fundamental of the spiritual
activities. If someone did not understand the truth and reality of
these concepts then nothing else is fully understood by him.
Know that body or seeds or Nutfa (Fertilized Egg) are not the Dhat
(Inmost Concealed Core) of cellular biological entities, they are only
the Nemudar (Vectorial Abstractions) of the Dhat.
End.
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