بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful
The formation of different traits of human nature and disposition, as displayed by people, results from the activities they perform in various walks of life. For example, forms a, b, c, x, and so forth. Here, we are considering that specific pattern of formation which enables a person to reach the goal of spiritual realization step by step.
Let us first take an example from the material world. Suppose a person wishes to become an artist. He must gradually learn to absorb and reproduce the features of the picture he intends to draw. He already knows, through memory, that certain strokes of the pencil will form an ear or an eye, while other lines will represent hair. Through practice, he gains mastery and learns to depict every part of the body with precision. Only then can he truly be called an artist. How does this happen?
The image of human features already exists in his mind. When he uses the pencil to copy that image, the vision within his mind guides him at every step. The teacher who instructs him in drawing merely guides him in the use of the pencil and the method of sketching various parts of the body. That is the teacher’s limit. The image itself is not implanted in his mind by the teacher; it already exists there. In other words, countless human forms are preserved within his soul. When he wishes to draw one of these forms, he transfers the image from his mind onto the canvas under the teacher’s guidance.
There could be countless similar examples in worldly skills, all pointing to one conclusion: by nature, man contains the potential for everything, an artist, a writer, a calligrapher, a tailor, a carpenter, a philosopher, or a physician. Through focused effort, he awakens and develops one particular ability. Only then do we call him an artist or a philosopher. These qualities already exist within him; he merely awakens them. A teacher serves only as an instrument to activate these latent powers.
Returning to the main point, just as a person is by nature an artist or a philosopher, he is also by nature endowed with spiritual potential, the traits of a mystic, a saint, a devout worshipper, or a spiritual knower. Since prophethood has been sealed, this discussion pertains only to spiritual realization, not prophecy.
We begin with the first principle.
A: What is man? What do we understand by him, and how do we recognize him?
Before us stands a figure of flesh and bone. Medically, this structure is composed of muscles layered over a skeletal frame. This physical body is what most people regard as the “real” person. To protect it, clothing has been created from materials such as cotton, wool, or leather. The purpose of clothing is merely to shield the body; the clothing itself has no life or motion. When worn, it moves because the body moves. The motion of the sleeve follows the arm. When removed, it lies motionless and lifeless.
Now let us compare this dress to the body. Consider what happens at death. The body, once full of motion, becomes lifeless. It can be cut, dragged, or moved, yet it offers no resistance, no response. It lies still, without the slightest trace of life. This shows that after death, the body becomes like a discarded garment. The true self, the one who lived within it, has departed.
If this body were truly the person, there should be some sign of life after death. Yet throughout human history, there has not been a single instance of a dead body moving on its own. Therefore, the body is not the real person. The real person is the one who departs, the soul. This soul possesses all the potentialities that together constitute life.
Let us now explore various states of life to find one that resembles death, where consciousness and activity cease. If we cannot find an exact match, we may at least find a similar condition. The answer is simple: sleep.
During sleep, the body becomes still, like a garment temporarily removed. A person continues to breathe, but other functions are dormant. This state, lasting minutes or hours, closely resembles death, differing only by the presence of breath.
Now consider dreams. Dreams open the doorway to the soul and to the unseen dimensions of spiritual potential. During sleep, though the limbs are motionless, we walk, speak, think, and feel joy or fear. Everything we do while awake is also experienced in dreams.
Some may argue that dreams are merely products of imagination because their effects disappear upon waking. This is untrue. People experience dreams so powerful that they awaken trembling, joyful, or physically affected, such as in the case of a wet dream or a vivid nightmare. Many dreams even come true. Therefore, dreams are not illusions but meaningful experiences of the soul.
Let us compare experiences from wakefulness and dreams. Often, when we return from the market and someone asks what we saw on the way, we realize we were barely aware of our surroundings. This shows that even in wakefulness, without awareness, experiences lose their meaning. Similarly, large portions of our dreams pass unnoticed, while others carry deep significance. Dreams make up nearly half of our lives. How fair is it, then, to dismiss them entirely?
We must therefore explore the nature and reality of dreams.
Suppose a writer begins to compose an essay. He knows the topic but not its full content. As he writes, ideas and expressions flow naturally, forming coherent meaning. This reveals that the essence of the essay already existed within his subconscious (Sabita), the firmly inscribed realm of knowledge. From there, it moves into the subconscious awareness (Aayan) and then emerges into the conscious mind (Jowviyah) as written words.
In the same way, within dreams man walks, eats, and speaks, proving that the soul can act independently of the physical body. This ability, which becomes active only in dreams, can be consciously developed through spiritual practice. It is through this very capacity that the prophets of God perceived the unseen realities of existence and conveyed to humankind the knowledge of where the soul originates and where it will journey after its life in this world.