If knowledge of a thing does not exist, that thing cannot be manifested. By now, we know that the universe is the name of the personal innate knowledge and Attributes of God. When God wanted to create the universe, all the forms and figures, features and designs, styles of motion and rest, and the supply of sustenance and provisions for the life of the entire universe and its existents, was there in the mind of God. The universe and all its ingredients and components are already there in the Mind of God and their existence in the Mind of God is the Knowledge of God.
Any object or the whole universe is knowledge first and then is the object or the universe. Since the knowledge of an object is the personal and direct knowledge of God, therefore, it is everlasting and the object is the manifestation of the knowledge therefore it perishes and is not lasting. It is an inbuilt system of the creation of everything that, on one hand, it increases and, on the other, it decreases. This activity of increases and decreases finally terminated.
Knowledge of God exists in the form of a Beatific Vision. The Beatific Vision descends to become Noor and the Noor descends to take the form of light. A manifestation is created from the Beatific Vision and Noor and merges back into the Beatific Vision and Noor.
One of the terminologies of Sufism is the Conducting Influence, upon something. This term is broadly used to indicate that a change in the feature of an object is inducted using spiritual powers. And, this also comes within the ambit of the Conducting Influence that the human thoughts, will, and determination are influenced. The influence can only be conducted in the knowledge of an object and not in the object. A close analysis of this thing reveals that the entire universe is a practical demonstration of the Influence Conducted by God, that is, God, Conducted an influence in the knowledge of the objects as it was there in the Mind of God, and the universe came into being.
The spiritual masters conduct their influence in the knowledge of the object according to the same law. Conductive Influence (tasurruf) is of three types; Miracle, Wonder-working, and Sorcery.
Sorcery is that form of influence, which is conducted upon a person for a specific purpose by the evil spirits of Limbo or the demonolatry jinns. The evil-spirited people, whether they are the demon jinns or the ghosts from Limbo get hold of a person who has a disposition of exercising his concentration and he is not properly trained for using his concentrative abilities. The evil spirits influence that person to such an extent when we start considering him as a possessed person. This also clarifies that the devils and people having devilish approaches frequently abuse the power of conducting influence to subjugate others for their evil designs.
Just as a spiritual person can Influence an object directly in the same way an evil spirit or devil can also cause to affect a thing. The person under the spell of the devil can witness the activities of the angels just like a spiritual person.
An example of such an event is also found in the era of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Once, Holy Prophet (PBUH) visited a lad named, Ibn-e-Sayyad, who was known for his psychic abilities and powers. After having exchanged a few words with that lad, what the Holy Prophet (PBUH) declared, in a nutshell, is that:
1. The lad was capable of witnessing the activities of the angels and although he was familiar with the realm of angels his knowledge was imperfect.
2. The knowledge, which a sorcerer has, even if it is about the celestial realms, it has dubiety in it.
3. Although Ibn-e-Sayyad used to see the activities of the angels, his knowledge was limited.
There is an eye-opening lesson in this event for us.
Normally the scholars and learned people claim that no one can learn anything about the unseen, nobody can witness or talk to God, and cannot talk to angels. It demands careful thinking that if sorcerers can witness the activities of the angels, can listen to their voices, known about the prophet-hood of Mohammad (PBUH) even if it is an imperfect knowledge then, how it is possible that a spiritual person cannot enter the celestial world nor can talk to the angels.
After having a conversation with the lad, the Holy Prophet did not tell Omar (RA), who was accompanying the Prophet, that the lad did not have the ability of necromancy, but he said that his knowledge was imperfect. And, when he told about the status of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Prophet (PBUH) said he was in doubt. It means that sorcery has its significance but this knowledge is based upon whims and doubts therefore it cannot be believed.
When a spiritual associate enters into the Unseen world and witnesses the activities of angels, unlike a sorcerer, his knowledge of Divination is not imperfect nor there is any room for dubiety in his knowledge, and as he advances in his knowledge his limited knowledge keeps on expanding.
Words carry no meaning in the Unseen world. Every word has a specific shape and form or, to say, It is portrayed in the form of a picture. In fact, everything in this universe, whether it is visible or not, even if it is a fantasy, a thought, an idea, or a feeling has a typical form, a balanced shape, and features.
It is our common observation that a patient of whims is cut off from all the activities of life. The forces of whimsical ideas disrupt his mind and he is possessed by some irrelevant thought so much so that gradually he becomes a useless person for the society. If a whim does not have a shape and form, force, and weight then how comes that a person is said to be a patient if he is fallen prey to whims. Air is such a thing that is not visible for our eyes but when it blows its gusts indicate the force it possesses. If the air has no form and shape, it has no figure and features, it has no force and power then how does it destroy the inhabitants as if a giant has ripped them off. We all know that when the air blows, the human body experiences its effect directly and it is felt that something is striking against our body or it is pushing us. It means that whether something is visible or not, it has its typical form, shape, weight, and force, which affects other creatures.
If a person attempts or gets a chance to have a concentration of thoughts, his sixth sense becomes activated. Besides the known five senses, there are countless senses operative in man. This can also be said that each and every sense is composed of numerable senses and it has been estimated that in the human life here and in the Hereafter about eleven and a half thousand senses are functioning. Everything is sighted using the sixth sense just as we see by means of physical eyes. And, the sighting or viewing by means of the sixth sense is technically known as necromancy or divination, according to the negative or the positive manner in which this ability is exercised.
The word for ‘prophet’, in Hebrew, means, one who can see the Unseen, and the word for messenger means the messenger of the Unseen. For this very reason, the lad failed to determine the actual status of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) because he was not versed with the Cognition of God, in terms of spiritual sciences. Knowledge of Sorcery remains confined to one’s own self and there is an element of uncertainty and dubiety therefore this knowledge is not only imperfect but is also limited. This is the difference between sorcery and the prophetic knowledge that the spiritual associate or the cognizer who follows the prophetic approach manages to reach the final goal of the cognition of God, after rising above the limits of prophesying and divination. And, this knowledge is not limited by any chance. A person blessed with the prophetic approach of thinking is free from doubts and dubiety, phobias, and uncertainty.
The prophetic knowledge is unlimited and the sorcery is limited and since this knowledge is confined and involves uncertainty and dubious approach, it is devilish knowledge, and using this knowledge the extraordinary feats performed are called sorcery or witchcraft.
Whereas, any supernatural demonstration taking place by a person who is the prophet of God, is called Miracle. And, if a supernatural thing is made to happen by a person who follows the path of the prophets and has the ability to access the souls of prophets and angels spiritually, then this act is known as the wonder-working (kramat).
Any activity performed by means of sorcery or witchcraft is short-lived and temporary. It is so transient that with the change in atmosphere its effects abolish automatically. If a person, who has been affected by sorcery or witchcraft, is made to cross over the water-brook, stream, or river, the effects of magic or witchcraft will be dissolved. Whereas the effects of the influence exercised by a spiritual person last till the person who conducted them remove them at his own accord.
It is the holy dictum of the Holy Prophet that a person who has entered into the bond of association with a spiritual person cannot break away at his own therefore check before you sign in.
It is important to note that the influence of a spiritual mentor is permanent and lasting and does not end unless the spiritual mentor removes it himself. Therefore, when a disciple, after getting angry with his mentor wants to deviate from the path of his mentor, he is ground between the two millstones because the mentor’s influence cannot be terminated and the association does not have the strength to overcome it. This results in a subdued consciousness of the associate therefore it is very important that the decision to become a disciple of a mentor must be taken only after it is ascertained that the Associate will never try to escape or breakaway. The mentor does not want to abolish his influence because the lights that he has stored in the Associate will be wasted. At the same time, this also is equally important that the person who is chosen to the guide is fully versed with the spiritual paths.
One of my friends visited a renowned sheikh (The spiritual mentor) and told him to introduce the monthly Roohani Digest among his disciples because most of the contents of this periodical are written by Auliyas, it describes the Elohistic Appellations and suggests ways to have an established relationship with God and His Apostles. Responding to the suggestion of my friend he said, I do read the Roohani Digest and greatly benefit myself but I cannot afford to tell my disciples to study it because this magazine contains reports of spiritual experiences of other people and if someone, after reading the contents, asked me about my experiences then what I am going to say. I don’t have any. It is God who is protecting me.