This constant invocation and station belonged to our teacher Abū Madyan. He always used to say, ‘My sura of the Qur'an is ﴿Blessed is He in whose Hand is dominion﴾ [al-Mulk 67:1].’ It belongs particularly to one of the two imams. It has continual increase in this world and the Hereafter, for it pertains particularly to dominion, and increase comes only from dominion. When it is repeated, God's blessings upon His servant multiply for the rememberer.
(The Difference of Increase According to Ranks)
People have differing ranks, and their increases accord with their ranks in what they occupy. For one belonging to the people of meanings, increase is of meanings; for one belonging to the people of sense, increase is of sensory things. ﴿Every people knew their drinking place﴾ [al-Baqara 2:60].
Were he given, as increase, something other than what his rank gives, he would pay it no regard at all and would be accused of bad manners. If it accords with his rank, he receives it joyfully and accepts it. He increases in gratitude, and the increase is multiplied for him.
(Giving and Sharing with Those Favored)
Know that this rememberer, through this particular invocation, must have it dawn upon him that his very entity is the Real's Hand in which is dominion. He sees the Real giving through him to one who does not see that he is His Hand. The Real is thus thanked by those favored through the mediation of this rememberer.
He reaps the fruit of the bliss of everyone favored, sharing with them in every bliss they attain, whatever kind of favor it may be. This belongs only to one who is perfected among the men of God. ﴿God speaks the truth, and He guides the way﴾ [al-Aḥzāb 33:4].
Chapter Five Hundred and Fifty-Seven: On Knowing the Seal of the Saints without Qualification
Indeed, the Seal of the saints is a messenger,
And has no equal within the worlds.
He is the Spirit and the Spirit's son; his mother is Mary.
This is a station to which there is no path.
He descends among us as a just judge through us,
And any ruling belonging to him passes away.
He kills a pig and crushes falsehood,
And has no guide but God.
He supports him in every state with a sign
That he sees with the eye's sight; he is a surety.
Through the landmarks of guidance he establishes Aḥmad's Revealed Law.
From him, with him, he has a place of noonday rest.
He pours upon him from the means of access of his dominion,
Yet in both his states he is a guest.
(The Seal of Sainthood and Jesus' Particularity)
Know—may God grant us and you success—that among God's honoring Muhammad, God's blessings and peace be upon him, with his Lord is that He placed messengers within his community.
Then He singled out from the messengers one whose relation to humankind was distant. Half of him was human, and his other half a purified spirit, an angel, because Gabriel bestowed him upon Mary as ﴿a well-formed human being﴾ [Maryam 19:17]. ﴿God raised him to Himself﴾ [al-Nisāʾ 4:158]. Then He sends him down as a friend, the Seal of the saints at the end of time, judging by Muhammad's Revealed Law, God's blessings and peace be upon him, within his community.
(Distinguishing the Ranks of Sainthood)
He seals only the sainthood of messengers and prophets. The Muhammadan Seal of Sainthood seals the sainthood of the saints, so that the ranks may be distinguished between the friend's sainthood and the messengers' sainthood.
When he descends as a friend, the Seal of the saints is a seal upon Jesus' sainthood insofar as he belongs to this community, judging by another's Revealed Law. Just as Muhammad is the Seal of the prophets although Jesus descends after him, so is Jesus' ruling concerning his sainthood: the Seal of the saints' sainthood precedes him in time, and Jesus is among them.
(Reference to ʿAnqāʾ Mughrib)
We have mentioned his rank in our book called ʿAnqāʾ Mughrib. In it are his mention and the mention of the Mahdī whom God's Messenger, God's blessings and peace be upon him, mentioned. This dispenses with mentioning him in this book.
His standing is not hidden. Jesus is, as He said, ﴿God's Messenger and His Word, which He cast to Mary, and a spirit from Him﴾ [al-Nisāʾ 4:171]. ﴿God speaks the truth, and He guides the way﴾ [al-Aḥzāb 33:4]. Volume Thirty-One ends with the end of this chapter.
