Sittings of September 1959 — Part I

مجالسِ ستمبر ۱۹۵۹ — حصہ اول

1 September 1959 (Saturday / 5 Rabi al-Awwal 1379 AH)

Topics 49–53: Practice of Surah al-Fatihah; Philosophy of Amulets; 'He is the Manifest'; The Compiler Receives Grace

Surah al-Fatihah is the most exalted chapter of the Qur'an and is recited in every unit of prayer. Beyond its role in prayer, it has a special place in the Sufi tradition as a source of spiritual power and healing. Hazrat explained the method of using Surah al-Fatihah as a spiritual practice (wazifa).

The writing of amulets (ta'widh) has a basis in Islamic tradition, provided the words written are Qur'anic verses or established supplications, the intention is pure, and there is no association of partners with Allah. The philosophy behind amulets is the belief in the spiritual power of the Divine Names and Words.

The Divine Name 'Huwa al-Zahir' — 'He is the Manifest' — refers to the truth that Allah's signs and manifestations are visible throughout all of creation. The entire universe is a manifestation of Allah's Names and Attributes; whoever has eyes to see will find Allah's signs everywhere.

Topics 54–56: The Prophet's Divorce; Hazrat Hasan's Divorce; Sin Belongs to the World of Witnessing

Hazrat cited an incident from Sahih al-Bukhari regarding the Prophet's household — an occasion on which a divorce was declared — and provided its proper scholarly context and interpretation, showing that such incidents must be understood within the full framework of the prophetic life and the legal rulings of Islam.

Hazrat Hasan ibn Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was known for having married and divorced a number of times over the course of his life. The scholars explain this through his magnanimity in settling dowries and his concern for the spiritual welfare of those around him.

Sin belongs to the world of witnessed actions (alam al-shahada) — the present world of physical existence — not to the World of Souls (alam al-arwah), which is the world of the primordial covenant. In the World of Souls, before incarnation in physical bodies, all souls bore witness to their Lord and took the covenant. It is only after entry into the physical world that souls face trial and the possibility of sin.