[Hassan Ilyas] In the previous video, we had discussed in great detail
that how the famous Sufi personality, Ibn Arabi
understood the 'general prophethood',
and why does Ghamidi Sahab disagree with his conception.
After a detailed study of Ibn Arabi's excerpt from his book,
'The Meccan Openings', Vol. 3, page 6,
we had learnt that for Ibn Arabi, there are two types of Prophethood.
One is the Legislative Prophethood,
in which God Almighty chooses a person and favors him with a Shariah.
This is the kind of Prophethood which has ended (with Prophet Muhammad).
The second type of Prophethood which Ibn Arabi had defined
is called the 'General Prophethood', which is bestowed upon men,
and within men, it is restricted to the (spiritual) elite.
It is acquired by human beings through their own struggle and attainment.
Ibn Arabi had explained this point in these words -
'Prophethood is an office, which God bestows on human beings,
and among men, it is specially meant for the spiritual elite.
It is also given to the Legislative Prophet, and also to the follower of the
Legislative Prophet, who follows the path taught by him.'
We had understood the summary of Ibn Arabi's statement in three points.
The first that this conception of General Prophethood is true and proven.
Second, this office of general Prophethood is attained by the spiritual elite,
and they receive it through their own struggle and acquisition.
And third, that while this concept of Prophethood is true and proven, and
is received by the elite, and is ongoing,
but, the person possessing this general prophethood
does not employ the term 'Prophet' for himself, because,
it might lead to a misunderstanding among the masses, that such a person
intends to present himself as a Legislative Prophet.
In today's video, we shall learn that for Ibn Arabi,
what is the nature of the knowledge possessed by the person holding this office of
General Prophethood?
Ibn Arabi quotes and comments on Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani's excerpt
to further elucidate his own viewpoint.
And he tells us, what is the nature and expanse of the knowledge of the
possessor of the General prophethood, and how does it compare with the holder of
the Legislative Prophethood.
Let us try to understand this debate through a detailed study of Ibn Arabi's book
'The Meccan Openings', Vol 3, page 163.
Ibn Arabi writes "As for the General Prophethood,
its components are unlimited and innumerable, because it is non temporal,
and it always remains ongoing in this world and the next.
This is the issue which the members of our order have ignored.
Still, I do not know whether they have done so deliberately,
or Allah Almighty didn't give them the fortunate opportunity to describe it.
Or it could be that they may have mentioned it, but it somehow couldn't reach us.
Regardless, Allah alone knows the real reason."
Note that, here Ibn Arabi is clearly describing one thing.
And it is that the components of the General Prophethood are unlimited and innumerable.
And they are not temporal, meaning they are not restricted to any one era.
And it is always ongoing.
And for him, it is such an evident truth, which all scholars should have narrated,
Ibn Arabi is explaining this -
that if someone did not describe it,
then it is possible that they may not have had this graced to describe it so,
or their description of it may not have reached us.
A little ahead Ibn Arabi writes,
Abul Badr al-tamaashkii al-Baghdadi narrated to me Shaikh Basheer's saying,
who is one of our elders in Baab al-azaj,
who narrated from Imam of the time, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, who used to say,
'O company of the Prophets, you have been given the title of Prophets,
and we were given all of that, which you were not given.'
Ibn Arabi writes, 'Now as far as Shaikh's saying is concerned,
'You (Prophets) were given the title of Prophet', so it means that
for us, the title of Prophet has been made prohibited for us,
and it is prohibited (for us), despite the fact that the General Prophethood is prevalent
among the elite men of our Order.'
Now, notice, here Ibn Arabi is narrating from Shaikh Abul Badr al-tamaashkii al-baghdaadi,
a saying from Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani.
Here, we must understand who Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani is.
Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani is the same person, who is called 'Ghaus ul-Aazam' in
the terminology of Sufism.
And all the great Shaikhs of Sufism and scholars describe their status and feats
in their books - he is the same Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani.
Here, in this excerpt, Ibn Arabi quotes this one saying of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani.
And that saying is this -
O company of Prophets, you have been given the title of Prophethood,
and we were given all that which you didn't receive.'
Ibn Arabi is seconding / supporting this saying of Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani
in this excerpt, and he writes and explains -
here the purport of the Shaykh's saying is really that
while we don't use the word 'Prophet' for ourselves,
however, despite this, in Ibn Arabi's words,
"Prophethood exists within us, and General prophethood is prevalent
among the elders of our Order."
Now, let us read ahead -
After this, in this very excerpt, Ibn Arabi further comments and explains this saying
of Abdul Qadir Jilani that "O Prophets, we have been given that which you haven't."
Ibn Arabi writes, "As for the part of Shaikh's statement that 'we have been given all that,
which you haven't been given, so it is the same point,
which Khizr (pbuh) had made when he had said to Moses (pbuh),
that 'O Moses, I possess that knowledge, which Allah has taught me,
of which you are unaware."
And, Ibn Arabi writes, "this Khizr is that person, whose justice and the pre-eminence
of whose knowledge was testified to, by Allah Himself,
and put His beloved chosen addressee, Moses (pbuh) in this strenuous situation,
that he must search for Khizr, when it is known that all the scholars are agreed that
Moses is greater than Khizr."
So this saying of Abdul Qadir Jilani, that
'O Prophets, we have been given all that, which wasn't given to you',
has been explained by Ibn Arabi in this way - that
whatever is possessed by the holders of the general prophethood,
its nature is the same as that which was given to Khizr (pbuh).
Moses (pbuh) was a Legislative Prophet, but Khizr's (pbuh) knowledge
was more than that of Moses, which Allah Himself testified to.
So the nature of Khizr's (pbuh) knowledge is the same as that of the holders of
the General prophethood.
After this, Ibn Arabi also answers this point that this is agreed upon by all,
that the holders of the Legislative Prophethood are superior,
but despite this, Moses searched for Khizr,
meaning that Khizr's knowledge was beyond that of Moses.
Now let us go further, and see what Ibn Arabi says about this saying of
Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani.
He writes, "Another situation can be that if Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani had meant
upholders of the general prophethood, the Prophetic Saints, in the words "O Prophets",
then he is explaining this point in his saying, that the knowledge that Allah has
given him, i.e. Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, it has not been bestowed upon the other holders
of the general prophethood, because within them, God has given some superiority over others.
So nobody should be surprised at such a thing."
Here, in this excerpt of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani "O Prophets',
how does Ibn Arabi interpret the word 'Prophets' differently?
We had learnt about Ibn Arabi that he had always been saying that
General Prophethood is ongoing - true and proven, if special for the elite.
But we shall not use the word 'Prophet' for any possessor of this general prophethood.
Here, while offering a different explanation of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani's excerpt,
Ibn Arabi offers the interpretation that such Prophets are Prophets from among the Saints (awliya).
Let us read this again - that what had Ibn Arabi said in his statement -
Ibn Arabi writes, 'If Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani has meant by the words "O Prophets", those
Prophets among the Awliya (Saints), then this statement clarifies that
the knowledge that Allah gave to Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, was not given
to the other holders of General Prophethood.
Hence, Ibn Arabi, in this sentence, is employing the term 'Prophetic Saints'
for the holders of the general prophethood.
After reading this whole excerpt, 3 points become absolutely clear,
that for Ibn Arabi, the components of Prophethood are numerous and unlimited,
and this phenomenon is non temporal, i.e. for eternity.
The second point - this statement of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani, that 'O Prophets,
you have been given this title of Prophets,
and we have been given all that which you haven't been given",
is supported / seconded by Ibn Arabi.
And in approving this sentence, he explains that -
"Whatever is attained by the possessors of General Prophethood,
it is the same knowledge which was attained by Khizr (pbuh),
i.e. Moses (pbuh) who was a Legislative Prophethood,
the knowledge greater than his, which was given to Khizr,
the possessors of the general prophethood are given the same knowledge.
As for the point that 'who is superior between them?'
So, in this , there is no doubt, that the Legislative Prophets are superior,
but who is superior as regards the attainment of knowledge,
then that is Khizr (pbuh).
Therefore, the nature of the knowledge possessed by the holders of
general prophethood is the same.
And the third, and most delicate thing, which
Ibn Arabi narrates in his explication of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani's excerpt,
that in his statement 'O Prophets, you have been given the title of Prophets',
the words "O Prophets" refer to the Prophetic Saints, i.e. those possessors of the
General Prophet.
Meaning, that Ibn Arabi uses the term 'Prophetic Saints' for the holders of the
General prophethood.
After listening to this whole discussion, this becomes absolutely clear,
that for Ibn Arabi, the ranks of the General Prophethood
begins with the grace of Being,
and thereafter, man through his striving and acquisition,
reaches that rank, acquiring which,
the nature of his knowledge becomes the same as that of Khizr (pbuh),
In the next video, we shall learn that when the holders of this general prophethood
acquire this knowledge, then which kinds of qualities and powers manifest through them.