Knowledge of Inspiration

Knowledge literally means getting information, being aware of or knowing something.  When we get information about something it means we get to know it.

Types of knowledge

Knowledge is of two types:

  1. Acquired knowledge
  2. Inspirational knowledge

Acquired knowledge

Acquired knowledge is the knowledge we gain through our intellect and from physical means.  For example: an institution, a school, college, university or from teachers, books, or environment.

Knowledge of inspiration

The knowledge of inspiration is the knowledge we gain without any physical means.  In fact we purely gain it from Allah. It does not involve any outward means.  Instead Allah inspires in the inward of man through Waham (conversation with Allah), Kashf (unveiling), Muraqbah (meditation), Ilm-e-Dawat (Communication with souls of Saints) or Tafakkur (reflection).

Imam Ghazali says:

“Knowledge of inspiration is the knowledge which one gains directly from Allah without any medium. Knowledge of inspiration is the Divine light which only reveals on the pure inward from the hidden.”

The origin

The origin of acquired knowledge is intellect while the origin of knowledge of inspiration is Allah.  That is because Allah has Himself taught every knowledge to man.  As Allah says about Adam:

وَ عَلَّمَ اٰدَمَ الۡاَسۡمَآءَ کُلَّہَا

Meaning: And Allah taught Adam the names of all (things). (2:31)

عَلَّمَ الۡاِنۡسَانَ مَا لَمۡ یَعۡلَمۡ ؕ﴿۵﴾

Meaning: Who (besides that) taught man (all that) which he did not know. (96:5)

Knowledge of inspiration does not need any outward mean

The Holy Prophet is the Universal Divine Man and he is the most knowledgeable in the universe but he did not gain this knowledge from outward sources rather Allah gave him knowledgedirectly. Allah says:

 عَلَّمَہٗ شَدِیۡدُ الۡقُوٰی ۙ﴿۵﴾

Meaning: (The Lord) of Mighty Powers (directly) conferred on him (perfect) knowledge. (53:5)

The man gains knowledge from within his own self

It is written in the exegesis of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s book Mirat-ul-Arifeen:

“When Allah reveals all knowledge to the Universal Divine Man then he gains the knowledge of everything in the universe from within his self and to know about anything he doesn’t have to connect with it outwardly.  Now he knows all creatures of the universe by knowing himself and he knows Allah by knowing himself because all the facts related to Divinity and creation are collected inside him, as the Holy Prophet said, “ I observe the entire universe on my palm.”

 In reality, the entire universe is like a particle of sand in front of the Perfect Saints whose spectacle they observe on their palm. Hence to know the reality of Creator and His creation, one has to reach the Divine Soul and the Mohammadan Light behind the veil of innerself. It leads to the knowledge of Divine Tablet and Pen. The more one’s veil of innerself would be clean the more he would be able to know about the Lord and His creation. Reaching the Truth and Reality is not possible without reaching the innerself. When man cleans the dust and blackness of the immoral and satanic desires of the innerself and achieves the pure and clean inward, only then he can  get the knowledge of Reality. That is why it is said: “Whoever recognizes his innerself recognizes his Lord and gets the knowledge of everything.”

The Universal Divine Man has the complete knowledge of inspiration

When the innerself is cleansed, man sees the reality in the tablet of inward through its medium. Then mirror of the innerself gradually fades away and man sees only the Truth in front of him. Hence, his innerself annihilates. It is, but is not. This state is only of the Universal Divine Man. Innerself is the veil between man and Allah but the innerself of the Universal Divine Man is so subtle that it is naught while being present. Therefore there is only Truth in the Universal Divine Man.

Man will only achieve that much from Allah’s and his own recognition for which he will strive as Allah says:

وَ اَنۡ لَّیۡسَ لِلۡاِنۡسَانِ اِلَّا مَا سَعٰی ﴿ۙ۳۹﴾  

  • And that man will get only that for which he strives.(53:39) (Translated from the exegesis of Mirat-ul-Arifeen)

In the same way, Allah bestows knowledge upon Saints and the perfect Fakirs through waham, inspiration, meditation contemplation or unveiling. Sultan Bahoo says about himself:

  • I did not get formal academic education like Prophet Mohammad. We had the Divine knowledge. The Divine experiences revealed such inspirational knowledge upon me inwardly and outwardly that needs a number of books to be expressed. (Ain-ul-Faqr)

Sultan Bahoo says:

ہیچ تالیفی نہ در تصنیف ما

ہر سخن تصنیف مارا از خدا

علم از قرآن گرفتم و از حدیث

ہر کہ منکر میشود اہل از خبیث

Explanation: I have not copied anything in my books. In fact all words of my books are from Allah Himself.

 My entire knowledge is based on Quran and Hadith. Whoever denies the knowledge imparted in my work is a wretched. (Nur-ul-Huda Kalan)

From the above statement of Sultan Bahoo it is clear that all his writings are from Allah because he did not acquire any outward knowledge but still he wrote 140 books on the basis of the knowledge bestowed by Allah.

Knowledge of Inspiration is purely from Allah

The knowledge of inspiration is gained by the eternal favour of Allah. One can gain the knowledge of inspiration by eating lawful, telling truth and having Divine observation and presence. These levels result from achieving closeness and gnosis of Allah. This is the knowledge which is deduced from Quran and Hadith though not mentioned in them. Allah gives this knowledge to His chosen men only, whoever He wants from His friends and gives as much as He wills. Though it is infinite. We can also call the knowledge of inspiration as the hidden knowledge.

Al-Ghawth al-Azam says about the knowledge of inspiration:

  • Allah is the possessor of the knowledge of inspiration. He does not bless anyone with this knowledge but whom He wills. Come closer to Allah so you become able to see Him and gain knowledge of inspiration from Him. (Al-Fatah-al-Rabbani)

Sultan Bahoo says:

  • Only Allah has the knowledge of inspiration, He teaches this knowledge only to His special men. A thought comes into man’s mind and he becomes aware of the spiritual path. Some get intuitions and messages from closeness of Allah. This path is bestowed by Prophet Mohammad. Whoever denies this path, is cursed, dead-hearted, has evil inward and is the seeker of cursed world. (Aqal-e-Beydar)

Knowledge of Allah is the reality of everything

Allah is Hidden and we cannot see Him with physical eyes. Beholding Him and acquiring His gnosis is also the knowledge of inspiration. In fact if Allah blesses the actual knowledge of every hidden and visible thing in the inward of man then we can call it inspirational knowledge.

Sultan Bahoo says about knowledge of inspiration:

  • The Fakir who approaches the final level of Sultan-ul-Waham, gets infinite messages from the proximity of Allah through inspirations and revelations. He experiences hidden spiritual states and gains the knowledge of inspiration. (Qurb-e-Deedar)
  • According to the Hadith, “One who finds Allah, finds everything” the true seeker finds everything within him. Whatever he wants to know, he can view that in the mirror of his inward. Whatever he wishes, he can ask from his inward. He can talk to his inward within himself and hears directly from it. The light and darkness, life and death, closeness and remoteness become same for him. At this level of eternal bliss he gets whatever he wants. Thus the inspirational knowledge is directly bestowed upon his inward from Allah and there remains no veil between him and Allah. (Sultan-ul-Waham)

Incidents about knowledge of Inspiration

There are various examples of inspirational knowledge in the Holy Quran that Allah talked to Prophets and people connected to them through Waham or inspiration.

Prophet Moses (Musa) and his mother

When Pharaoh ordered to kill all the new born babies, Allah inspired the mother of Prophet Moses how she should enclose Moses in a box and float it into the river so that he may be saved.

Allah says:

وَ اَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلٰۤی اُمِّ مُوۡسٰۤی اَنۡ اَرۡضِعِیۡہِ ۚ فَاِذَا خِفۡتِ عَلَیۡہِ فَاَلۡقِیۡہِ فِی الۡیَمِّ وَ لَا تَخَافِیۡ وَ لَا تَحۡزَنِیۡ ۚ اِنَّا رَآدُّوۡہُ اِلَیۡکِ وَ جَاعِلُوۡہُ مِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِیۡنَ ﴿۷﴾

Meaning: And We revealed to the heart of the mother of Moses: ‘Suckle him on, but when you fear (for his life), put him afloat into the river, and be not afraid (of this situation) nor grieve. Surely, We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of Our Messengers. (28:7)

Any mother cannot even think of floating her baby in the river but Allah inspired Moses’ mother to afloat her baby into the river putting him in a box. Therefore she was became assured that by doing this Allah will save her child. Afterwards Asiyah (Pharaoh’s wife) got the box. She took this child under her guardianship and when she ordered some of her maidens to feed the baby, Moses’ mother also entered the castle.  Hence Asiyah chose Moses’ mother to feed the baby. Indeed Allah fulfilled His promise.

Prophet Moses and Khidr

Quran has also mentioned the incident of Prophet Moses and Khidr. Prophet Moses was the holder of outward knowledge while Khidr had the knowledge of inspiration. As Quran says:

وَ عَلَّمۡنٰہُ مِنۡ لَّدُنَّا عِلۡمًا ﴿۶۵﴾

Meaning: And had taught him knowledge of inspiration. (18:65)

Prophet Moses also wanted to learn the knowledge of inspiration. For that he asked Khidr for his company. Khidr told Moses that he would not be able to remain patient in his company.

Prophet Moses made the promise

Anyways Prophet Moses promised him to be patient and not complain about anything. Khidr allowed Prophet Moses to be with him but not ask him anything unless he tells him. Afterwards Khidr made a hole in a ship, killed a boy and built a broken wall again. On every action Prophet Moses asked Khidr why did he do that? And Prophet Khidr said to him, “I warned you that you would not have patience.”

The reality behind all the actions of Khidr

Outward knowledge is related with intellect and this knowledge depends upon outward means. So it arises questions in the mind. Since Prophet Moses did not know anything about the reality behind actions of Khidr which were based on inspirational knowledge hence he could not hold himself from questioning Khidr. Thus Khidr told the reality behind his actions and parted from Prophet Moses. Quran has mentioned Khidr’s answers in this way:

Meaning: As for the boat, that belonged to Some poor people who used to toil for wages on the river. So I decided to make it defective (because) a (cruel) king was (standing) ahead of them, snatching every (undamaged) boat by force (from the owners without any compensation). (18:79)

And as for the boy, his parents were blessed with faith. So we feared that (if he lived on, he would become a disbeliever, and on attaining to maturity) he would afflict both of them with disobedience and disbelief. (18:80)

So we intended that their Lord might bless them with (such) a substitute as would be better than this (boy) in purity and nearer (to his parents as well) in clemency and kindness. (18:81)

And as for the wall, that belonged to two orphan boys (residing) in the town and a treasure was (buried) beneath it for both of them. And their father was (a) pious (man). So your Lord willed that both of them should reach their age of maturity, and dig out their treasure (themselves) by mercy from your Lord. And I did not do (whatever I did) of my own accord. This is the truth (of the matters) about which you could not hold yourself. (18:82)

Mary (Maryam) and Jesus (Isa)

Quran has also mentioned the incident of Mary. She was a chaste virgin and a pious lady and was graced with the celestial company of Prophet Zechariah (Zakariyya). She always remained engrossed in praying Allah. Allah gave him glad tidings about a baby boy through revelation. It is explained in Quran in these words:

Meaning: And, (O My Esteemed Beloved,) recite the account of Mary in the Holy Quran when she separated from her family, adopting seclusion for worship and moved to the eastern house. (19:16)

So she adopted veiling from them (the family and the people So that the absolute Divine Beauty unveils Himself). Then We sent towards her Our angel Gabriel, who appeared before her in complete form of a human being. (19:17)

Mary said: ‘I seek refuge with the most Gracious (Lord) from you if you fear (Allah).’ (19:18)

Gabriel said: ‘I am only a messenger from your Lord. (I have come) to bestow upon you a pure son.’ (19:19)

Mary said: ‘How can there be a son to me, whereas no man has even touched me, nor am I unchaste?’ (19:20)

Gabriel said: ‘(Do not wonder.) It will be the same way. Your Lord says: This (work) is easy for Me, and (the objective is) that We may make him a sign for the people and mercy from Us. And it is a matter (already) decreed.’ (19:21)

The Fear of Mary

Afterwards she became pregnant and started living in a desolated place away from his people. She worried for what she will tell everyone that whose baby it was when she will return to his people with the baby.  When the time of birth of baby came, she sat along a date tree. Through inspiration she was ordered to shake the tree so that the dates would fell down and she would be in peace by eating them. Also she was inspired to have patience and be quiet in front of her people. Holy Quran has mentioned this incident in these words:

Meaning: So Mary conceived him and positioned herself at a remote site, aloof (from the people). Then the birth pangs drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree. She said (in anxiety): ‘Would that I had died before this and had become totally forgotten!’ Then (Gabriel or ‘Isa* [Jesus] himself) called out to her from beneath her: ‘Grieve not. Surely, your Lord has made a water spring flow under you (or has created and laid under you an exalted human being). And shake the trunk of the date-palm towards you. It will shed fresh ripe dates upon you.
So eat and drink and cool (your) eyes (with the sight of your beautiful, lovely baby). Then if you see any man, say (to him by gestures): ‘I have vowed a fast (of silence) to the Most Gracious (Lord), So I shall just not talk to any human being today.’ (19:22-26)

*Mary was alone at that site, no one was there except Gabriel and Jesus who had just born. Allah blessed Jesus with the power to speak since birth. In this verse it is not clarified who spoke to Mary. However all the interpreters of the Quran including Ibn Abbas, the first interpreter of Quran, are sure that it was either Gabriel or Jesus as none else was there except them.

Allah inspired Mary

This proves that the knowledge of inspiration was the source of information for Mary. So Allah inspired her to go under a date-palm when she would feel the maternity pain. Furthermore she was informed either through Gabriel or Jesus to shake the tree, eat the dates, take the baby back to the tribe and be quiet. And because of this she understood what Allah wanted  her to do otherwise she was thinking that she would have died and completely forgotten or gone anywhere else. Since she was worried what she would tell anyone if they asked whose baby it was as she was untouched, Allah informed her to say that she is having a fast so ask this baby.

When she went back to her tribe the people asked her the same. She pointed towards this baby. The baby said, “I am the man of Allah, my name is Jesus (Isa). Allah has sent me to you as a Messenger and has given me the book.”

Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq and Hazrat Ayesha:

It is related from Hazrat Ayesha that when Hazrat Abu Bakar was on his deathbed, he called Ayesha and said to her “After me, none among my family is dearer to me than you and I don’t like your destitution. I have given you an amount of date palms from the land of Aliya. This is inheritance property and your two brothers and two sisters have share in it.” Ayesha replied “But father I have only one sister Asma.” Abu Bakr said, “The daughter of Kharijah (means his wife) is pregnant and I think that the baby is a girl. Therefore be kind to her.” Ayesha says that after the demise of Abu Bakr Umm Kulthoom was born.

So, Allah already gave Hazrat Abu Bakr the knowledge about his baby girl. This incident is also an example of knowledge of inspiration.

Hazrat Usman and knowledge of inspiration

Once a man came to Hazrat Usman who passed by a woman on his way and looked at her. Usman said that a few among you come to me having the effect of adultery in their eyes. So that man asked Usman “Do you knew this by revelation?” Usman replied “No! This is verily by the sagacity of a believer.”

This incident is also a proof of the knowledge of inspiration that Usman came to knew about this deed through inward sagacity.

Knowledge of inspiration and Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib:

It is related from Asbah that once they were passing by the sacred tomb of Imam Hussain with Hazrat Ali. While passing he said:

“This is the place where their rides would stay and this is the place of their camps and here their blood would be shed and the youths of the sacred progeny of the Holy Prophet would be martyred. And the earth and skies would cry.”

Ali ibn Abi Talib said to the people of Kufa:

“The sacred family of the Holy Prophet would come to you and ask for help but you will not help them.”

Ali ibn Abi Talib knew about the incident of martyrdom of Imam Hussain and even the place of their rides only through knowledge of inspiration.

Knowledge of inspiration and Awais Qarni

Awais Qarni also had the inspirational knowledge along with outward knowledge. However he was so engrossed in the purification of innerself, purgation of inward, mystic struggle and endeavours that he could not impart his knowledge. Further, he hated fame so much that he did not like to be famous with the title of a scholar, jurist or a transmitter of Hadith. On one occasion he said:

“I receive the Hadiths of Prophet Mohammad just as you all receive but I do not relate them because I do not like to be known as a scholar or a theologian. I hate fame and like seclusion.”

He followed all the pillars of Islam which enlightened his inward.

Conclusive thoughts

Whoever ponders upon the verses and signs of Allah, Allah keeps on revealing his knowledge upon him. Moreover, He reveals those secrets which even common people do not know.

Likewise, when a seeker of Allah adopts the company of a perfect spiritual guide for gnosis and closeness of Allah then the spiritual guide purifies his innerself by his spiritual sight as well as bestows the knowledge of inspiration upon him. By the benediction of which the seeker gets blessed with the gnosis of Allah. The spiritual guide transfers the knowledge of inspiration from his inward to the seeker’s inward and transforms him from a common disciple to a pure, true and loyal one. And this is possible only when the seeker pleases his spiritual guide by his loyalty and purity. The more a seeker recognizes his innerself the more he is blessed with the knowledge of inspiration and reaches the level of satisfied innerself.

In this era of materialism and fitna, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman purges the inwards of his disciples by his spiritual sight and turns them into the seekers of Allah by blessing them with knowledge of inspiration. We invite all the seekers of Allah to have beneficence from Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur- Rehman who is the most eminent and grandest personality of this era.

NOTE:

علمِ لدنّی is an Urdu article of the magazine “Mahnama Sultan-ul-Faqr Lahore” for the month of September 2020. Originally penned by Rubina Farooq Sarwari Qadri is presently translated in English by Zainab Moghees Sarwari Qadri exclusively for the website

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FAQS

What is the knowledge of inspiration?

The knowledge of inspiration is the knowledge we gain without any physical means.  Actually, we purely gain it from Allah. It does not involve any outward means.  Instead Allah inspires in the inward of man through Waham (conversation with Allah), Kashf (unveiling), Muraqbah (meditation), Ilm-e-Dawat (Communication with souls of Saints) or Tafakkur (reflection).

Allah bestows this blessing upon His true seeker after his innerself is purified and soul is purged and he gains vision and closeness of Allah.

How can we gain the knowledge of inspiration in this era?

We can gain the knowledge of inspiration through the spiritual sight of the perfect spiritual guide. In this era of materialism and fitna, Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen Sultan Mohammad Najib-ur-Rehman is the perfect spiritual guide who purges the inwards of his disciples by his spiritual sight and turns them into the seekers of Allah by blessing him with knowledge of inspiration.

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