Question 220 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 3

Ahmed al-Hasan Response:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, the Imams and the Mahdis, and grant them abundant peace. Answer to Question 1: The answer is found in Illuminations, volume 3, section 2: An illumination ‘He said, “O my sons, do not enter through one gate, but enter through separate gates. I cannot avail you against Allah in any way. Judgment belongs to Allah alone. In Him I have placed my trust, and in Him let those who trust place their trust”’ (^[22]). Jacob (a) had learned from Allah that Benjamin would be lost just as Joseph (a) had been lost. He therefore took a covenant from them that they would bring Benjamin back, making the exception, ‘unless you are surrounded’ (^[23]), and he knew that they would be surrounded. Indeed, in this verse-‘Do not enter through one gate, but enter through separate gates. I cannot avail you against Allah in any way. Judgment belongs to Allah alone. In Him I have placed my trust, and in Him let those who trust place their trust’-he wanted them to separate so that perhaps Benjamin would be saved and return to him, because he would be recognized by his brothers, whose number would attract attention. Despite this, Jacob knew that this would not benefit them much, because Allah’s will would come to pass. Jacob’s instruction to his sons was only ‘a need in Jacob’s soul that he fulfilled.’ But of what benefit is Jacob’s caution before the decree and determination of Allah, Glorious and Exalted? ‘It did not avail them against Allah in any way, except that it fulfilled a need in Jacob’s soul’ (^[24]). Jacob (a) also knew this: ‘I cannot avail you against Allah in any way.’ But he did not want to neglect taking whatever possible action could preserve Benjamin. The result is that Allah’s will is what comes to pass: ‘Judgment belongs to Allah alone. In Him I have placed my trust, and in Him let those who trust place their trust.’ After all this, Jacob possesses knowledge and recognition from Allah, Glorious and Exalted, and acted according to the measure of his knowledge and recognition: ‘Indeed, he possessed knowledge because of what We had taught him, but most people do not know’ (^[25]). But above Jacob, the possessor of knowledge, is Joseph (a), the knowing one. The result was that ‘he drew his brother close to himself,’ and Jacob’s plan did not avail him in having Benjamin return to him: ‘Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother under the king’s law unless Allah willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, and above every possessor of knowledge is one who knows’ (^[26]). Answer to Question 2: I ask Allah to grant you success in every good. Know that the courses of affairs are in the hand of Allah, Glorious and Exalted, and He has bound them to sincerity. So be sincere to Allah and you will be granted success in the good that pleases Him. Answer to Question 3: The basmala of Surat al-Tawbah is: ‘In the name of Allah, the One, the Subduer.’ Answer to Questions 4 and 5: I ask Allah to grant you success in every good, keep every evil away from you, provide you with the best of good-His satisfaction and the Garden-and keep from you the worst of evil-His wrath and the Fire. May He bestow upon you that He make you among those through whom He makes His religion victorious, among those through whom He establishes His enduring word, and among those through whom He fills the earth with equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and injustice. I ask Him, Glorious and Exalted, to make you among the witnesses over His creation, and to seal for you-and for me, the sinful one who has fallen short-with all good: being killed in His path, Glorious and Exalted, in support of His religion. Do not forget me in your supplication, and forgive me for falling short regarding your right, O pure and blessed ones who are known in Heaven. Ahmed Alhasan