Concerning the Special Characteristics of That Noble One (a.s.) After His Creation Until the Time of His Birth

خصوصيات حضرت بعد از خلقت تا زمان ولادتش

در بيان خصوصيات نور آن سرور بعد از خلقت تا زمان ولادتش، پس مي‌گوئيم: خداوند جل و جلاله متفرد بود بالذات، و با او هيچ نبود، پس ابتدا نمود به خلق نور شريف حضرت پيغمبر (صلي الله عليه و آله)، و مشتق نمود از نور او، انوار علي و فاطمه و حسن و حسين را، و از براي آن حضرت شريف محال متعدده و عوالم مختلفه قرار داد.چنانكه از روايات ظاهر مي‌شود كه بعضي پيش از خلق عرش، و بعضي بعد از آن و قبل از خلق آدم، و بعضي بعد از آن بوده، و عوالم آن، گاهي عالم انوار است، و گاهي اشباح نوريه، و گاهي اظله، و گاهي ذرات، و گاهي نور بهشتي، و گاهي عمود نور، و گاهي در ظهر آدم، و گاهي در انگشتان او، و گاهي در پيشاني او، و گاهي در پيشاني اجداد و جدات اطهار آنجناب. و محل آن نور گاهي پيش روي عرش، و گاهي بالاي عرش، و گاهي زير عرش، و گاهي در اطراف عرش، و گاهي در حجابهاي دوازده گانه، و گاهي در درياهاي نور، و گاهي در سرادقات. [ صفحه 94] و از براي اقامت آنها در هر محلي مدتي معين است، مثلا زمان وجود ايشان قبل از خلق عرش چهارصد و بيست هزار سال است، و مدت توقف ايشان در اطراف عرش پانزده هزار سال پيش از خلق آدم، و زمان بودن ايشان در زير عرش دوازده هزار سال پيش از خلق آدم [159] ، و اينجا مقام تفصيل دادن اين مطالب نيست.مترجم گويد: معرفت تفاصيل اين اسرار و مطالب را از ما نخواسته‌اند. آنچه وظيفه‌ي ماست تصديق و تسليم است بر وجه اعمال، و علم به حقيقت آن نور و مقاماتش و وظيفه‌اش در آن عوالم راجع به خود ايشان است، و تطبيقات، كه بعضي از حكما و صوفيه با عقل خود كرده‌اند، برهاني درست ندارد، و خوض در آن موجب خطر است انتهي.و مقصود در اين مقام: بيان خصوصيت نور جناب حسين (عليه‌السلام) است از انوار ائمه (عليهم‌السلام) در جميع عوالم مذكوره، پس مي‌گوئيم: امتياز اين نور در عالم جمع: اضافه تشريفيه خاصه است كه به نور اول دارد، چنانكه فرموده: حسين مني و انا من حسين [160] ، و در عالم فرق: امتياز آن سبب حزن و اندوه است، چنانكه ظاهر مي‌شود از قضيه‌ي حضرت آدم، كه چون انوار خمسه‌ي طاهره در انگشتان او اشراق نمود، نور جناب حسين (عليه‌السلام) در ابهام قرار داشت، و چون نظر حضرت آدم بر ابهامش افتاد مهموم و محزون مي‌شد. [161] .واين اثر تا حال باقي است كه هر كس، ضحك بر او غالب شود، چون نظر به ابهام نمايد حزن بر او غالب مي‌شود، و از قضيه‌ي حضرت ابراهيم كه چون اشباح خمسه را ديد، از ملاحظه‌ي شبح آن جناب محزون گرديد، [162] ، مثل اينكه از شنيدن نام شريفش محزون مي‌شد.بلكه چيزي كه نسبت به آن داده مي‌شود از اسباب حزن است، مانند ميخي كه جبرئيل [ صفحه 95] بر كشتي نوح كوبيد به اسم آنجناب، نوري از آن درخشيد، و رطوبتي مانند خون از آن ظاهر گرديد كه موجب حزن حضرت نوح و نوحه‌ي او گرديد. [163] .و ايضا آن نور شريفه چون به اصلاب طاهره و ارحام مطهره منتقل مي‌شد از اثر آن، نوري در جبين حامل آن ظاهر مي‌گرديد، چون خود از حاملين آن نور نبودند، و در جبين حضرت زهراء در حمل حضرت حسن (عليه‌السلام) نوري علاوه ظاهر نشد، چون حضرت فاطمه (سلام الله عليها) خودش نيز از آن نور است، ولي در حمل حضرت حسين (عليه‌السلام) نور خاصي در جبين زهراء (سلام الله عليها) ظاهر شد، چنانكه حضرت پيغمبر به آن خبر داد [164] و والده‌ي ماجده‌اش فرمود: «كه من چون به حسين حامله شدم در شب تار احتياج به چراغ نداشتم» پس امتيازش آن است كه بر نور غالب مي‌شود.و ايضا بر نور آفتاب نور او غلبه مي‌نمود، چنانكه از بعضي منقول است كه حاضر بوده است درحال شهادت آن سرور، گفت: نور جمال آنحضرت مرا از فكر كشتن او مشغول نمود [165] ، با آنكه آفتاب در آنوقت بلند بود.و ايضا چيزي حاجب نور شريف نبوده، چنانكه همان شخص گفت: كه نديدم كشته‌اي آغشته به خاك و خون، نوراني‌تر از حسين (عليه‌السلام) [166] پس خاك و خون حاجب آن نور پاك نبوده است.

Concerning the Special Characteristics of That Noble One (a.s.) After His Creation Until the Time of His Birth

Regarding the special characteristics of the light of that noble master (a.s.) after its creation until the time of his birth, we say:

Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He, was alone in His Essence, and there was nothing with Him. Then He began by creating the noble light of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), and from his light He derived the lights of ʿAli (a.s.), Fatimah (a.s.), Hasan (a.s.), and Imam Husain (a.s.).

For these noble ones He appointed numerous stations and different worlds.

As appears from the narrations, some of these stations existed before the creation of the Throne (ʿArsh), some after it and before the creation of Adam (a.s.), and some after that.

Their worlds were at times the World of Lights (ʿĀlam al-Anwār), at times luminous forms (Ashbāḥ Nūriyyah), at times shadows (Aẓillah), at times particles (Dharrāt), at times heavenly light, at times a pillar of light, at times in the loins of Adam (a.s.), at times in his fingers, at times in his forehead, and at times in the foreheads of their pure forefathers and foremothers.

The location of that light was at times before the Throne, at times above the Throne, at times beneath the Throne, at times around the Throne, at times within the twelve veils, at times within oceans of light, and at times within the sacred enclosures (sarādiqāt).

[ صفحه 94]

Their stay in each location had a specified duration.

For example, the duration of their existence before the creation of the Throne was four hundred and twenty thousand years.

Their stay around the Throne was fifteen thousand years before the creation of Adam (a.s.).

And their stay beneath the Throne was twelve thousand years before the creation of Adam (a.s.). [159]

This is not the place to explain these matters in detail.

The translator says:

We have not been charged with knowing the detailed realities of these secrets and matters. Our duty is belief, affirmation, and submission in practice. Knowledge of the reality of that light, its stations, and its functions within those worlds belongs to those noble ones themselves. The explanations and interpretations that some philosophers and Ṣūfīs have attempted through their own reasoning possess no sound proof, and delving into such matters is dangerous. End of translator's note.

The purpose here is to explain the unique characteristics of the light of Imam Husain (a.s.) among the lights of the Imams (a.s.) throughout all the worlds mentioned above.

Thus we say:

The distinction of this light in the world of unity and gathering (ʿĀlam al-Jamʿ) is the special honorary relationship it possesses with the First Light, as the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said:

«حسين مني و انا من حسين»

“Imam Husain (a.s.) is from me and I am from Imam Husain (a.s.).” [160]

And in the world of differentiation (ʿĀlam al-Farq), its distinction is that it becomes the cause of sorrow and grief.

This becomes apparent from the story of Adam (a.s.). When the lights of the Five Pure Ones (al-Khamsah al-Ṭāhirah) shone upon his fingers, the light of Imam Husain (a.s.) appeared in the thumb. Whenever Adam (a.s.) looked at his thumb, he became distressed and sorrowful. [161]

This effect remains even now, such that whenever laughter overwhelms a person, if he looks at his thumb, sorrow overcomes him.

Likewise, from the story of Ibrahim (a.s.), when he saw the forms (ashbāḥ) of the Five Pure Ones, he became saddened upon seeing the form of that noble one (a.s.). [162]

It is as though merely hearing his noble name would bring sorrow.

Indeed, anything associated with him becomes a cause of grief.

For example, the nail which Jibrāʾīl (a.s.) drove into the Ark of Nuh (a.s.) in the name of that noble one (a.s.) emitted a light, and moisture resembling blood appeared from it. This caused Nuh (a.s.) to become sorrowful and to lament. [163]

Likewise, when that noble light passed through the pure loins and purified wombs, a light would appear on the forehead of the bearer as a result of it, since they themselves were not among the bearers of that light.

However, no additional light appeared on the forehead of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a.s.) when she was carrying Imam Hasan (a.s.), because Lady Fatimah (a.s.) herself was also from that very light.

But when she carried Imam Husain (a.s.), a special light appeared upon the forehead of al-Zahra (a.s.), as the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) informed her. [164]

And his noble mother (a.s.) said:

“When I became pregnant with Imam Husain (a.s.), I had no need of a lamp during the darkness of the night.”

Thus, his distinction is that his light overpowers all other light.

Likewise, his light would overpower the light of the sun.

It is narrated from one individual who was present at the martyrdom of that noble one (a.s.) that he said:

“The radiance of his face distracted me from the thought of killing him,” [165]

even though the sun was high in the sky at that time.

Likewise, nothing could veil or conceal his noble light.

The same individual said:

“I never saw anyone slain, covered with dust and blood, more radiant than Imam Husain (a.s.).” [166]

Thus, neither dust nor blood could veil that pure light.