The Ascension (Mi‘rāj)

Introduction

The concept of Mi‘rāj (Ascension) constitutes an intricate, analytical, and interwoven process encompassing the tools, pathways, and sources of knowledge accessible to the divine human. This process manifests at the highest stages of spiritual ascent and perfection, particularly at the station of the heart, enabling transcendence from the material world to the realm beyond (farānāsūt). Through this journey, the divine love and affection of the Exalted Truth for creation, and the reciprocal love of creation for the Exalted Truth, along with the absolute beauty or its superior manifestations, become perceptible or present. Upon the divine human’s attainment of the station of pure love, sanctity, and immaculate encounter with the Divine, and their return to the state of absoluteness, no impurity, veil, estrangement, or unfamiliarity remains. The pinnacle of Mi‘rāj lies in transcending phenomena, reaching absolute existence, realizing true unity (tawḥīd), establishing oneself in the station of oneness, and reconciling transcendence (tanzīh) and immanence (tashbīh), as well as the beginning and finality of existence.¹

¹ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.

The Correlation of the Culmination of Mi‘rāj with Transformative Inception

The scope of the divine human’s ascending Mi‘rāj, characterized by spiritual ascent, is intrinsically linked to their point of origin and emergence. The ultimate height of their ascent, which signifies the qualitative measure of their consciousness, is contingent upon their initial descent, which transforms into expansion, innovation, and flourishing. In each transformation, this process evolves into a composite form. Every phenomenon possesses a point of emergence and initiation, as well as a point of culmination and finality. The culmination of each individual corresponds harmoniously with their inception. The more a phenomenon, in its transformative descent, transitions from a higher realm to the lowest point of nobility, the more it embodies completeness and achieves the highest degree of elevation and integration proportionate to its origin. Consequently, the ascent of phenomena endowed with Mi‘rāj, which have descended to the material realm (nāsūt), corresponds to their initial point of manifestation. Each phenomenon bears a specific divine name, under which it possesses a unique resurrection and abode aligned with its inception. Every divine name that manifests through divine self-disclosure (tajallī) has a concrete, external manifestation in a distinct form and station. Some find their emergence in the absolute unity of divine oneness (aḥadiyyat jam‘ al-jam‘), others in the lowest rank of the material realm, some in the station of unity (wāḥidiyya), others in the imaginal realm proximate to the material, some as celestial beings, and others from the realm of spirits.²

The divine human, at the station of inherent luminous belovedness, both at the zenith of descent and direct revelation and at the culmination of ascent and Mi‘rāj, simultaneously and consistently perceives and is present with existence, all realms and their phenomena, the Exalted Truth, and the divine names and attributes, as well as their manifestations. They are endowed with a living and enduring Mi‘rāj, experiencing the perfection of relationality, the intoxication of divine love, and purity with the phenomena of each realm and with the Exalted Truth. This continuous and necessary perception and presence, grounded in true perfections, necessitates the realization of such perfections and eliminates ignorance and its consequent negative attributes—such as confusion, anxiety, sorrow, and impurity—from the essence of the divine human. It prevents them from falling into bewilderment, disorientation, or ignorance.³

² Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
³ Ibid.

The Spiritual and Cardiac Nature of Mi‘rāj

The Mi‘rāj, in the realms beyond the material world up to the infinite culmination in the divine realms (lāhūt), is entirely devoid of materiality. Anyone who claims that such a Mi‘rāj is corporeal is both ignorant and attributes the utmost imperfection and deficiency to the Exalted Truth. The elemental, material body, even if it is a spiritualized body in utmost refinement and subservient to the divine human’s spirit, cannot ascend to the celestial realm (malakūt) while retaining its material nature due to its incompatibility with immaterial realms. However, it may enter a corresponding realm with a body compatible with that realm’s nature. The journey from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, which does not transcend the material realm, can be corporeal. The divine human possesses such authority and resolve that they can move their body in another dimension—faster than the speed of light—and create a protective shield through their resolve to prevent disintegration during such movement. They can also create bodies in any form or configuration as needed.⁴

Mi‘rāj requires proximity and intimacy with existence and its phenomena, carrying them along in the journey. The culmination of Mi‘rāj serves as the criterion and measure of the breadth and scope of elevated knowledge. Mi‘rāj is the ascent and direct witnessing of the radiant virtues of the truth of existence upon the essential reality of the self—a reality that cannot be indicated in any manner. In this station, the divine human attains the necessary knowledge of the Exalted Truth and intrinsic annihilation, ultimately reaching the station of divine essence. In these ascensions, the Lord is known through the Lord, and the journey is undertaken from Him, to Him, by His means, and according to His will. The book Misbāḥ al-Mutahajjid by Shaykh Tūsī, quoting Abū Ḥamza al-Thumālī (Thābit ibn Dīnār, d. 150 AH) from Imam Sajjād (peace be upon him), records in his renowned supplication: “Through You, I have known You, and You have guided me to Yourself, and called me to You. Were it not for You, I would not have known who You are.”⁵ In the same supplication, it is stated: “Fleeing from You to You!” In this realm, there is no refuge but the Exalted Truth, as the Noble Qur’an states: “Say, ‘No one can protect me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge besides Him’” (Al-Jinn, 72:22).⁶

⁴ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
⁵ Tūsī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥasan. (n.d.). Misbāḥ al-Mutahajjid. Qom: Islamic Publications.
⁶ The Noble Qur’an, Al-Jinn, 72:22.

Types of Cardiac Mi‘rāj

Cardiac Mi‘rāj manifests in two forms: vision without direct presence and vision accompanied by presence and ascent. The visionary Mi‘rāj lacks direct presence in the realms or their summoning to another realm, involving merely the perception of other realms and their phenomena. The vision of the celestial realm by Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) in the material realm exemplifies this type: “Thus did We show Abraham the dominion of the heavens and the earth, that he might be among those who are certain” (Al-An‘ām, 6:75).⁷ The Noble Qur’an describes the Mi‘rāj of presence, characterized by ascent, as follows: “Glory be to Him who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing” (Al-Isrā’, 17:1).⁸

The most limited form of cardiac ascent, which involves transcending the material body and earthly journey, differs from the lower ascensions (durūj) specific to wayfarers, ascetics entangled in the ego, or weak and afflicted individuals reliant on imagination. Such ascensions do not surpass entry into the imaginal realm proximate to the material realm with an imaginal body, shedding the material body. The body, distinct from the material frame and physical structure, exists in a higher, subtler dimension, possessing characteristics akin to the physical frame. The true composition of the body, in conjunction with the heart and spirit, constitutes human identity, which cannot be shed in any creative realm, unlike the material frame, which can be voluntarily shed in this world during material existence with the emergence and elevation of the heart. In perfected human states, the material frame can be replaced with bodies crafted by the soul, heart, or spirit, tailored to the appropriate form and configuration.⁹

The subject of Mi‘rāj, like that of revelation, is cardiac life, distinct from psychic or material life. Thus, neuroscience focused on material life cannot access cardiac life, which possesses such independence that it can entirely detach itself from material existence.¹⁰ The transition of the earth from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque (Al-Isrā’) and the ascent from the station of the heart through spiritual attraction beyond materiality, traversing the celestial and spiritual realms up to the station of absolute oneness with compatibility and love, are among the facets of the Mi‘rāj of the Seal of Prophets (peace and blessings be upon him).¹¹

Mi‘rāj, akin to revelation, can occur through two pathways: direct divine attraction from above, bypassing causality, or through methodical effort and guidance under a master, starting from the material realm. The causal pathway aligns with the nature of the realms and their phenomena, accessible to aspirants through compatible tools, persistent effort, austerity, and gradual progression.¹²

⁷ The Noble Qur’an, Al-An‘ām, 6:75.
⁸ The Noble Qur’an, Al-Isrā’, 17:1.
⁹ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹ Ibid.
¹² Ibid.

Stages and Platforms of Mi‘rāj

Mi‘rāj comprises stages, chapters, and platforms of ascent, determined by inner stations and ranks. Ascending from one rank to another constitutes a stage and platform of elevation. The secret, hiddenness, and effacement of creation, stages of annihilation, and traversal through divine names and attributes, culminating in the station of essence that transcends manifestation, are among the platforms of Mi‘rāj. Although this journey is collective and may achieve the highest qualitative distinction, it remains a qualitative and virtuous endeavor. Even among those who attain the highest rank, there are differences in degree, with the foremost possessing qualitative knowledge unknown to others. All stages of ascent manifest love proportionate to their rank.¹³

¹³ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.

Harmony of the Material and the Inner

At the culmination of Mi‘rāj, the outer and inner senses of the divine human achieve complete unity, balance, and perfection. All external attributes and rulings align with their inner counterparts; their form mirrors their heart and essence, and their outer appearance corresponds perfectly with their inner reality. Consequently, all outer and inner perceptive faculties of the divine human at the culmination of Mi‘rāj are in harmony with their heart. These faculties do not interfere with divine revelation, inspirations, or other forms of knowledge, and their true orientation is indistinguishable from the Exalted Truth, except that the Exalted Truth possesses an independent essence, while the divine human exists solely as a manifestation and aspect of Him, lacking independent or self-sustaining essence.¹⁴

The divine human is a refuge and defender of the Exalted Truth’s creation, a supporter, guide, and strengthener of phenomena through love for the Exalted Truth. Every phenomenon, through companionship, coexistence, love, and affection with the divine human, becomes truly empowered and beloved by the Exalted Truth. The divine human guides phenomena to the sanctified divine realm and the treasury of divine light through love, instilling the grandeur of divinity and the pillar of unity in their hearts and celestial essence. The pillar of unity entails setting aside the non-beloved and steadfastly pursuing the straight path of love for the Exalted Truth: “And if they had remained steadfast on the path, We would have given them abundant water to drink” (Al-Jinn, 72:16).¹⁵

In the station of mediation and centrality, the divine human encompasses all attributes and rulings of phenomena, their celestial essence, and their word and command, through which they are known. It is through them that it is recognized that there is no deity but Allah, who is the truth of all things, embodying the meaning of “There is no god but You.” Worship is realized through seeking their intercession and assistance. What remains is their true aspect and connection to it, with every phenomenon deriving its existence through their divine realm. This is particularly true since the description and witnessing of the Exalted Truth are always through His aspect, not His essence. All praise belongs solely to the Exalted Truth, and all worship and devotion are directed only to Him, for there is no true existence but His—a renowned and evident existence, uniquely described, unbound by the scope or limits of phenomena, and free from manifestation or constraint.¹⁶

The divine human is a treasury of knowledge, possessing every science. Those who obey them find the path, becoming noble, chosen, concealed, and immersed in divine presence without bewilderment: “O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion and will remove your misdeeds and forgive you. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty” (Al-Anfāl, 8:29).¹⁷ The divine human is silent, serene, and perpetually obedient to the station of absolute oneness. The greatest divine name, a creative and manifest reality, resides with them—a name that, when applied to anything, renders it precisely as it should be. When applied to the night, it renders it dark and a source of tranquility. Rather than relying on oneself, one must seek refuge in the divine human, whose refuge is the refuge of the Exalted Truth, guiding each to their true nature.¹⁸

¹⁴ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
¹⁵ The Noble Qur’an, Al-Jinn, 72:16.
¹⁶ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
¹⁷ The Noble Qur’an, Al-Anfāl, 8:29.
¹⁸ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.

Distinction Between Cardiac Mi‘rāj and Spiritual Wayfaring

The ascent of the material and material realm, characterized by contraction, gathering, annihilation, and descent, is categorized into lower ascensions (durūj), intermediate ascensions, and the perfected Mi‘rāj of the elect. The term Mi‘rāj is exclusively applied to the ascent of the elect, particularly the perfected, originating from the heart. Lower ascensions, reliant on connected or disconnected imagination, are not termed Mi‘rāj but durūj, akin to the unsteady steps of a toddler, prone to stumbling. Spiritual wayfaring (durūj sulūkī) relies on imaginative unveiling and perception, involving journeying in the connected or disconnected imaginal realm proximate to the material or observing suspended actions and states in the material imaginal realm through corresponding inner senses. These imaginative manifestations depend on the observing subject and are real only if they correspond to phenomena in the disconnected or ascending imaginal realm; otherwise, they are mental fabrications detached from reality, indicative of disorder or affliction.¹⁹

Considering the framework of manifestation and hiddenness, and the actuality of every perfection, the narrative of the Night of Ascension serves to externalize and depict a scene from the reality of the event, recording its occurrence. As a unique and unrepeatable divine manifestation, the Mi‘rāj and the virtues of each prophet and saint retain vitality. Like all phenomena, they are accessible for study by the divine human in their respective realms through coexistence.²⁰ This aligns with the existential movement and indescribable divine self-subsistence, rendering every concept transcendent, absolute, and infinite, producing an absolute, true, and manifest reality from the divine essence’s attributes and rulings in the realm beyond, unbound by known dimensions such as width, length, depth, or material time, and crafting attributes specific to each realm.²¹

The accessibility of all phenomena exposes the deceptions, false claims, distortions, and confusions propagated by some superficial claimants and naive believers in describing metaphysical phenomena. Such writings lack harmony with the ordered realms and phenomena, each with a defined station, and their ontological, epistemological, theological, cosmological, anthropological, eschatological, and axiological foundations are mired in fundamental conflations and myths crafted by minds detached from reality.²²

¹⁹ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
²⁰ Ibid.
²¹ Ibid.
²² Ibid.

The Perfected Mi‘rāj of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

In Islamic history and narrations, the Mi‘rāj of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is well-established and documented. However, these narrations capture only a fraction of the events of the Mi‘rāj, serving as exemplars. They describe the realms, their phenomena, events, the positions of prophets and saints, the realm of spirits, intimacy with exalted spirits, the conditions of the intermediate realm (barzakh), the visages of its inhabitants, and the unseen realities of the resurrection. Narrations of the Mi‘rāj, recounting direct and experiential events, are significant and authoritative, as reliance on non-textual accounts, ordinary individuals’ statements, or aspirants’ unveilings is inadmissible. However, these narrations are not immune to fabrication, tampering, distortion, paraphrasing, or content alteration. The intermediaries’ capacity to comprehend, retain, and accurately transmit these events is critical. For instance, narrators must correctly convey concepts such as the Throne (the manifest aspect of existence), the Pedestal (its hidden aspect), the Preserved Tablet, the Pen, the seven heavens, and their inhabitants. If narrators are ordinary individuals lacking expertise in metaphysical texts or the requisite elevation and compatibility with those realms, their paraphrased or altered narrations face scrutiny and cannot be relied upon for meanings corresponding to the unseen phenomena of other realms or attributions to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is particularly true given the unique and unrepeatable nature of the Prophet’s Mi‘rāj, which cannot be multiply narrated or studied by others. The Prophet’s Mi‘rāj differs from spiritual wayfaring ascensions and those of other prophets, rendering their conditions and rulings incomparable. Nevertheless, the principle of the Noble Prophet’s Mi‘rāj is indisputable, having occurred multiple times according to narrations, and constitutes a fundamental and weighty tenet of Islam, particularly in Shi‘a belief, where it is a prominent symbol of faith. Mi‘rāj and ascent are not exclusive to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and can be achieved by those with a heart, elevation, divine attraction, and belovedness through effort or divine grace.²³

The realms constitute the vast dominion and expansive sovereignty of the Exalted Truth, with the phenomena and events of each realm being infinite and accessible to those with hearts and high perfections. Narrations of the Mi‘rāj provide a limited and minimal account of these realities, assuming they have reached us accurately without alteration, tampering, or distortion.²⁴

A perfected Mi‘rāj belongs to one who integrates the tangible realities, the lowest perceptible phenomena, and the manifest rulings of the divine law with the Pedestal, Throne, seven heavens, the pinnacle of ascent, and the heart of the Exalted Truth in an interwoven manner, with purity, love, and relationality, such that no manifestation is estranged or unfamiliar. They do not withdraw from the material realm and coexistence with matter under the pretext of divinity. Presence in each realm requires compatibility with that realm and its phenomena. The multiplicity of Mi‘rāj experiences corresponds to varying states of the heart.²⁵

The platform for ascent to other realms requires a firm foundation in the material realm and adherence to the final divine law. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who attained the culmination of Mi‘rāj, performed worldly prayers in the material realm with the phrase “You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help” (Al-Fātiḥa, 1:5), which is the believer’s Mi‘rāj and the pillar of faith. Without hypocrisy, ostentation, or negative asceticism, he coexisted with numerous women in a knowledgeable and conscious manner. The refinement of pure women aids in ascent, just as coexistence with coarse or crude women, animals, birds, spontaneous poetry, or romantic odes serves as a control tower and runway for grounding oneself in the material realm. Through the subtle divine coquetry of these anchoring phenomena, all faith, love, and unity from the zenith of divinity can be anchored in the material realm, maintaining balance and equilibrium.²⁶

Love for the material realm, love for the celestial realm, and material well-being are interwoven with felicity in the realms of resurrection. The divine human ascends to the divine realm with their material existence and love, and returns to the material realm with their divine essence and love. They are endowed with the meanings and truths of divine names and the realm of command without intermediaries, while the realm of creation is administered through them. Divine grace, emanating from the divine realm to the divine human, flows through them to other manifestations with love. In absolute annihilation, they relinquish identity, attributes, names, and actions, possessing no will or intention but the necessary will of the Exalted Truth.²⁷

In such annihilation, necessity, and the zenith of love and unity, the divine human is neither estranged nor unfamiliar anywhere, serving as a trusted guardian of the Exalted Truth’s secrets and manifestations. The Noble Qur’an states: “So now, have relations with them and seek what Allah has decreed for you” (Al-Baqara, 2:187). This signifies that knowledge, wayfaring, and gnosis must be pursued through purity, love, intimacy, glad tidings, motivation, excitement, and emotion. “Seek what Allah has decreed for you” is pursued through “have relations with them,” meaning through love, intoxication, and joy. The interplay of love and knowledge was discussed earlier.²⁸

The divine human possesses comprehensive knowledge of all that the divine pen has inscribed, yet their attention is perpetually and unwaveringly directed toward the realm of command, the station of absolute oneness, and the encounter with the divine essence. The possessor of the culminated Mi‘rāj, in coexistence and companionship with phenomena, is engaged in true prayer and comprehensive attention to the sanctified presence of the Exalted Truth: “Men whom neither trade nor commerce distracts from the remembrance of Allah, the establishment of prayer, and the giving of alms, fearing a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned” (Al-Nūr, 24:37).²⁹

²³ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
²⁴ Ibid.
²⁵ Ibid.
²⁶ Ibid.
²⁷ Ibid.
²⁸ The Noble Qur’an, Al-Baqara, 2:187.
²⁹ The Noble Qur’an, Al-Nūr, 24:37.

Narrations of the Mi‘rāj

In seeking blessings, we cite some narrations of the Mi‘rāj related to Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him).

First Observation

Sayyid Ṣadr al-Dīn ‘Alī ibn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad Ma‘ṣūm Ḥusaynī Dashtakī Shīrāzī, known as Sayyid ‘Alī Khān Madanī or Ibn Ma‘ṣūm Madanī (b. 1052 AH), a Shi‘a scholar of the twelfth century AH and commentator on Ṣaḥīfa Sajjādiyya, records the following narration with a chain of transmission comprising 27 consecutive fathers and sons without interruption, as the first hadith in his treatise Risāla fī al-Musalsala bil-Ābā’ (composed in 1109 AH). The chain is as follows: Narrated to me by my father, the esteemed Sayyid Aḥmad Niẓām al-Dīn, from his father, the noble Sayyid Muḥammad Ma‘ṣūm, from his teacher, the researcher Mullā Muḥammad Amīn Astarābādī, from his teacher, the eminent traditionist Mīrzā Muḥammad Astarābādī, from Sayyid Abū Muḥammad Muḥsin, who said: Narrated to me my father ‘Alī Sharaf al-Ābā’, from his father Manṣūr Ghiyāth al-Dīn, the teacher of humanity, from his father Muḥammad Ṣadr al-Ḥaqīqa, from his father Ibrāhīm Sharaf al-Milla, from his father Muḥammad Ṣadr al-Dīn, from his father Isḥāq ‘Izz al-Dīn, from his father ‘Alī Ḍiyā’ al-Dīn, from his father ‘Arabshāh Zayn al-Dīn, from his father Abū al-Ḥasan Amīrān Bah Najīb al-Dīn, from his father Amīrī Khaṭīr al-Dīn, from his father Abū ‘Alī al-Ḥasan Jamāl al-Dīn, from his father Abū Ja‘far al-Ḥusayn al-‘Azīzī, from his father Abū Sa‘īd ‘Alī, from his father Abū Ibrāhīm Zayd al-A‘sham, from his father Abū Shujā‘ ‘Alī, from his father Abū ‘Abd Allāh Muḥammad, from his father ‘Alī, from his father Abū ‘Abd Allāh Ja‘far, from his father Aḥmad al-Sikkīn, from his father Ja‘far, from his father Sayyid Muḥammad al-Maḥrūq, from his father Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad, from his father Zayd al-Shahīd, from his father ‘Alī Zayn al-‘Ābidīn (peace be upon him), from his father Ḥusayn, the Master of Martyrs, from his father Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (peace be upon him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) say… (the hadith).³⁰

Allāma Majlisī records the Shi‘a chain of this narration in Biḥār al-Anwār, volume 107, page 30. The narration states: “Do not curse ‘Alī, for he is possessed in the essence of Allah, the Exalted.”³¹

This narration has multiple chains, with a Shi‘a chain tracing back through Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Here, we present a chain from a prominent Sunni scholar. Some valid chains of narrations extolling virtues have been lost over time due to the governance of Sunni caliphs and rulers and the prohibition of hadith narration for a century (until 100 or 101 AH), motivated by political efforts to suppress the virtues of Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) and the school of the Ahl al-Bayt.³²

The following narration, with the aforementioned chain, appears in most authoritative Shi‘a books and some Sunni books that upheld fairness, scholarship, and truth, independent of the culture-opposing demands of ruling authorities, and has not been subject to criticism or objection.³³

The historical gap between the narrator and historian of Karbala’s key events, Abū Mikhnaf (d. 157 AH), whose birth year and lifespan are unknown, and ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Umar (d. 73 AH), remains a historical uncertainty, rendering the narration discontinuous. Even the recorded death date of Abū Mikhnaf may be unreliable, and he may have died earlier or lived an exceptionally long life, possibly around a century, encountering Ibn ‘Umar in his youth. Nonetheless, part of Abū Mikhnaf’s life coincided with the lifting of the hadith writing ban. Most accounts of the events of ‘Āshūrā’ are transmitted through him, and he is a key source for Iraqi history until the end of the Umayyad caliphate.³⁴

The narration, with Abū Mikhnaf (Lūṭ ibn Yaḥyā), the renowned chronicler and author of the Karbala tragedy, in its chain, is as follows: Narrated by Ṣadr al-A’imma Muwaffaq ibn Aḥmad al-Makkī, known as Khaṭīb Khwārazm, from al-Muhadhdhab, who said: Informed us Abū al-Qāsim Naṣr ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī ibn Zīrak al-Muqrī, informed us my father Abū Bakr Muḥammad, who said: Informed us Abū ‘Alī ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Naysābūrī, narrated to us Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Nānajī al-Baghdādī, from the memorizers of Dīnawar, narrated to us Muḥammad ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī, narrated to us Muḥammad ibn Ḥumayd al-Rāzī, narrated to us al-‘Alā’ ibn al-Ḥusayn al-Hamadānī, narrated to us Abū Mikhnaf Lūṭ ibn Yaḥyā al-Azdī, from ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Umar, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) being asked, “In which language did your Lord address you on the Night of Mi‘rāj?” He replied: “He addressed me in the language of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (peace be upon him). Then He inspired me to say, ‘O Lord, is it You addressing me, or is it ‘Alī?’ He said, ‘O Aḥmad! I am a Being unlike other beings, not compared to humans, nor described by similitudes. I created you from My light, and I created ‘Alī from your light. I looked into the secrets of your heart and found none dearer to you than ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib. Thus, I addressed you in his language to bring tranquility to your heart.’”³⁵

This narration speaks of the divine discourse with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the realm of love. This discourse was not merely conceptual but embodied language, dialect, and tone, enacted by the Exalted Truth through the agency of love. The true speaker is the Exalted Truth, manifesting in this manner. The love, affection, and unity between the Seal of Prophethood and the Seal of Guardianship with the Exalted Truth represent the zenith of relationality and the central axis and core of light in this narration, conveying their fervent and heartfelt unity. This unity is explicitly affirmed in the verse of mutual imprecation (mubāhala), discussed later.³⁶

³⁰ Ibn Ma‘ṣūm Madanī, Sayyid ‘Alī Khān. (1109 AH). Risāla fī al-Musalsala bil-Ābā’.
³¹ Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir. (n.d.). Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 107, p. 30. Qom: Islamic Publications.
³² Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
³³ Ibid.
³⁴ Ibid.
³⁵ Ibid.
³⁶ Ibid.

Second Observation

The second narration is sourced from Kifāyat al-Ṭālib fī Manāqib ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib by Abū ‘Abd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf Ganjī, a prominent Shafi‘i scholar and traditionist of the seventh century AH. The narration states: The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “On the night I was taken to the heavens, I was passing through when I suddenly encountered an angel seated on a throne of light, surrounded by angels. I said, ‘O Gabriel, who is this angel?’ He replied, ‘Approach him and greet him.’ I approached and greeted him, and behold, it was my brother and cousin, ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib. I said, ‘O Gabriel, has ‘Alī preceded me and arrived at the fourth heaven before me?’ Gabriel said, ‘No, O Muḥammad! But due to the angels’ immense love and devotion to ‘Alī, Allah created this angel from light in the likeness of ‘Alī. The angels visit him seventy thousand times every Friday night and day, glorifying and sanctifying Allah, dedicating the reward to the lovers of ‘Alī.’”³⁷

³⁷ Ganjī, Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf. (n.d.). Kifāyat al-Ṭālib fī Manāqib ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib. Qom: Islamic Publications.

Third Observation

The following Mi‘rāj narration, transmitted through various chains with slight variations in wording, is selected for its greater coherence and integrity. Narrated from Abū Baṣīr, from Imam Ṣādiq (peace be upon him), from his forefathers, from ‘Alī (peace be upon him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: “O ‘Alī, when I was taken to the heavens, I was greeted with glad tidings by the angels in every heaven until I met Gabriel in an assembly of angels. He said, ‘O Muḥammad, if your community united in their love for ‘Alī, Allah would not have created the Fire.’”³⁸

He continued: “O ‘Alī, Allah made you a witness with me in seven instances, bringing me comfort through your presence: The first was the night I was taken to the heavens. Gabriel said, ‘Where is your brother, O Muḥammad?’ I replied, ‘I left him behind me.’ He said, ‘Call upon Allah to bring him to you.’ I invoked Allah, and behold, your likeness was with me, and the angels stood in rows. I asked, ‘O Gabriel, who are these?’ He replied, ‘These are those whom Allah will honor on the Day of Resurrection.’ I approached them and spoke of what has been and what will be until the Day of Resurrection.

The second was when I was taken to the possessor of the Throne. Gabriel said, ‘Where is your brother, O Muḥammad?’ I said, ‘I left him behind me.’ He said, ‘Call upon Allah to bring him to you.’ I invoked Allah, and your likeness was with me. The veils of the seven heavens were lifted, and I saw their inhabitants, their dwellers, and the station of every angel.

The third was when I was sent to the jinn. Gabriel said, ‘Where is your brother?’ I replied, ‘I left him behind me.’ He said, ‘Call upon Allah to bring him to you.’ I invoked Allah, and you were with me. I said nothing to them, nor did they respond to me, except that you heard and comprehended it.

The fourth was the Night of Decree, exclusive to you and me, and no one else.

The fifth was when I conversed with Allah, and your likeness was with me. I requested virtues for you, and He granted them all except prophethood, for He said, ‘I have reserved it for you and sealed it with you.’

The sixth was when I circumambulated the Inhabited House, and your likeness was with me.

The seventh was the destruction of the confederates by my hand, and you were with me.

O ‘Alī, Allah looked upon the world and chose me above the men of the worlds. He looked a second time and chose you above the men of the worlds. He looked a third time and chose Fāṭima above the women of the worlds. He looked a fourth time and chose Ḥasan, Ḥusayn, and the Imams from their progeny above the men of the worlds.

O ‘Alī, I saw your name coupled with mine in four stations, and I found solace in beholding it: When I reached the Holy Sanctuary during my ascensions to the heavens, I found inscribed on its rock: ‘There is no god but Allah, Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, I have supported him with his vizier and aided him through him.’ I asked, ‘O Gabriel, who is my vizier?’ He replied, ‘‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib.’

When I reached the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, I found written upon it: ‘There is no god but Allah, I am alone, and Muḥammad is My chosen one from My creation, I have supported him with his vizier and aided him through him.’ I asked, ‘O Gabriel, who is my vizier?’ He replied, ‘‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib.’

When I passed the Lote Tree and reached the Throne of the Lord of the worlds, I found written on one of its pillars: ‘I am Allah, there is no god but Me alone, Muḥammad is My beloved and chosen one from My creation, I have supported him with his vizier and brother and aided him through him.’

O ‘Alī, Allah granted me seven virtues through you: You are the first to emerge from the grave with me. You are the first to stand with me on the Path, saying to the Fire, ‘Take this one, for it is yours, and leave this one, for it is not yours.’ You are the first to be clothed when I am clothed and revived when I am revived. You are the first to stand with me at the right of the Throne. You are the first to knock on the gate of Paradise with me. You are the first to reside with me in the highest heavens. You are the first to drink with me from the sealed nectar, whose seal is musk, and for this, let the aspirants compete.”³⁹

In other narrations, the Ṭūbā tree is mentioned as the fourth instance of the conjoined names of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him), though it is absent in this narration.⁴⁰

³⁸ Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
³⁹ Ibid.
⁴⁰ Ibid.

Fourth Observation

The following narration, transmitted through various reliable chains in major Shi‘a and Sunni hadith collections, such as those of Khwārazmī and Qundūzī, is widely accessible through digital libraries and research software, obviating the need for redundant citation. Shaykh Ḥurr ‘Āmilī states: “The indication of this noble hadith in proving the Imamate of the Twelve is clearer and more evident than all previous arguments presented for the Imamate.” The narration states: Narrated Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad, who said: Informed me Abū al-Ḥasan Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan, who said: Narrated to me my father, from Sa‘īd ibn ‘Abd Allāh ibn Mūsā, who said: Narrated to us Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-‘Arzamī, who said: Narrated to me al-Mu‘allā ibn Hilāl, from al-Kalbī, from Abū Ṣāliḥ, from ‘Abd Allāh ibn al-‘Abbās, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “Allah granted me five things and granted ‘Alī five things: He granted me the comprehensive words (the Noble Qur’an), and He granted ‘Alī the comprehensive sciences. He made me a prophet and made him a successor. He granted me Kawthar and granted him Salsabīl. He granted me revelation and granted him inspiration. He took me on the Mi‘rāj to Him, and He opened for him the gates of the heavens and the veils until he looked at me, and I looked at him.” Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) wept. I said, “What makes you weep, may my mother and father be your ransom?”⁴¹

He replied: “O Ibn ‘Abbās, the first thing He spoke to me about was: ‘O Muḥammad, look below you.’ I looked and saw the veils torn asunder, the gates of the heavens opened, and ‘Alī raising his head toward me. He spoke to me, and I spoke to him, and my Lord spoke to me.” I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what did your Lord speak to you about?” He said: “He said to me, ‘O Muḥammad, I have made ‘Alī your successor, vizier, and caliph after you. Inform him, for he hears your words.’ I informed him while standing before my Lord. He said, ‘You have accepted and obeyed.’ Allah commanded the angels to greet him, and they did so. He returned their greetings, and I saw the angels rejoicing in him. I passed no group of angels in the heavens but that they congratulated me, saying, ‘O Muḥammad, by Him who sent you with the truth, joy has entered all the angels due to Allah’s appointment of your cousin as your successor.’”⁴²

I saw the bearers of the Throne lowering their heads toward the earth. I said, “O Gabriel, why have the bearers of the Throne lowered their heads?” He replied, “O Muḥammad, there is no angel among the angels but has looked upon the face of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib with joy, except the bearers of the Throne. They sought Allah’s permission at this moment, and He permitted them to look upon ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and they did so.” When I descended, I recounted these events to him, and he recounted them to me. I realized that I had not set foot in any place but that it was unveiled to ‘Alī, and he saw it.⁴³

Ibn ‘Abbās said: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, advise me.” He said: “Hold fast to the love of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib. By Him who sent me as a prophet with the truth, Allah accepts no good deed from a servant until He questions him about his love for ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and He, the Exalted, knows best. If he comes with his allegiance, his deeds are accepted, whatever they may be. If he does not come with his allegiance, He questions him about nothing further and orders him to the Fire.”⁴⁴

“O Ibn ‘Abbās, by Him who sent me as a prophet with the truth, the Fire is fiercer in its wrath against those who harbor enmity toward ‘Alī than against those who claim Allah has a son. O Ibn ‘Abbās, if the closest angels and the sent prophets gathered in enmity toward ‘Alī—and they would never do so—Allah would punish them with the Fire.”⁴⁵

I said, “O Messenger of Allah, does anyone harbor enmity toward him?” He replied: “Yes, O Ibn ‘Abbās, a people who claim to be of my community harbor enmity toward him, and Allah has granted them no share in Islam. O Ibn ‘Abbās, a sign of their enmity is their preference for those beneath him over him. By Him who sent me as a prophet with the truth, Allah sent no prophet nobler than me, nor a successor nobler than my successor, ‘Alī.”⁴⁶

Ibn ‘Abbās said: I have remained steadfast in this as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded and advised me regarding his love, and it is the greatest of my deeds in my estimation.⁴⁷

Ibn ‘Abbās said: When time passed, and the Messenger of Allah’s passing approached, I came to him and said, “May my father and mother be your ransom, O Messenger of Allah, your term draws near. What do you command me?” He said: “O Ibn ‘Abbās, oppose those who oppose ‘Alī, and be neither their supporter nor their ally.”⁴⁸

I said, “O Messenger of Allah, why do you not command the people to refrain from opposing him?” He wept until he fainted, then said: “O Ibn ‘Abbās, my Lord’s knowledge has preceded regarding them. By Him who sent me as a prophet with the truth, no one who opposes him or denies his right will depart this world until Allah transforms the blessings he possesses into afflictions.”⁴⁹

“O Ibn ‘Abbās, if you wish to meet Allah while He is pleased with you, follow the path of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib. Incline with him wherever he inclines, be content with him as your Imam, oppose those who oppose him, and ally with those who ally with him. O Ibn ‘Abbās, beware of doubting him, for doubt in ‘Alī is disbelief in Allah.”⁵⁰

The phrase “a sign of their enmity is their preference for those beneath him over him” is particularly significant. This principle applies to preferring any non-divine human over the divine human. A hallmark of falling among the accursed or harboring enmity toward the divine human is attributing to a weak, unworthy individual a position they are unqualified for, driven by the narcissism of the judge, which fuels a fire devoid of divine truth and legitimacy. Such a person is afflicted with arrogance, concealing their true reality and presuming themselves superior to the divine human.⁵¹

⁴¹ Ḥurr ‘Āmilī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥasan. (n.d.). Wasā’il al-Shī‘a. Qom: Islamic Publications.
⁴² Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
⁴³ Ibid.
⁴⁴ Ibid.
⁴⁵ Ibid.
⁴⁶ Ibid.
⁴⁷ Ibid.
⁴⁸ Ibid.
⁴⁹ Ibid.
⁵⁰ Ibid.
⁵¹ Ibid.

Fifth Observation

The following narration speaks of the presence of past prophets realized through the Mi‘rāj: Narrated by Judge Abū al-Ḥasan ‘Alī ibn Muḥammad al-Sabbāṭ al-Baghdādī, who said: Narrated to me Abū ‘Abd Allāh Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ayyūb al-Baghdādī al-Jawharī, the traditionist, who said: Narrated to us Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad ibn Lāḥiq ibn Sābiq, who said: Narrated to us Hishām ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Sā’ib al-Kalbī, who said: Narrated to me my father, from al-Sharqī ibn al-Quṭāmī, from Tamīm ibn Wahla al-Murrī, who said: Narrated to me al-Jārūd ibn al-Mundhir al-‘Abdī… The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “O Jārūd, on the night I was taken to the heavens, Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, revealed to me to ask those messengers We sent before you upon what they were sent. I said to them, ‘Upon what were you sent?’ They replied, ‘Upon your prophethood, the guardianship of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and the Imams from you both.’ Then He revealed to me to turn to the right of the Throne. I turned and beheld ‘Alī, Ḥasan, Ḥusayn, ‘Alī ibn al-Ḥusayn, Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī, Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad, Mūsā ibn Ja‘far, ‘Alī ibn Mūsā, Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī, ‘Alī ibn Muḥammad, Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī, and the Mahdī, praying in a pool of light. The Lord, the Exalted, said to me, ‘These are My proofs for My friends, and this is the avenger against My enemies.’”⁵²

The term ḍaḥḍāḥ (pool) used in this narration refers to a space containing a small amount of water, covering only up to the ankles or mid-calf, insufficient to envelop a person.⁵³

⁵² Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
⁵³ Ibid.

References

1. Khademi, Sadiq. (n.d.). Consciousness and the Divine Human. Unpublished manuscript.
2. Tūsī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥasan. (n.d.). Misbāḥ al-Mutahajjid. Qom: Islamic Publications.
3. The Noble Qur’an, Al-Jinn, 72:22.
4. The Noble Qur’an, Al-An‘ām, 6:75.
5. The Noble Qur’an, Al-Isrā’, 17:1.
6. The Noble Qur’an, Al-Jinn, 72:16.
7. The Noble Qur’an, Al-Anfāl, 8:29.
8. The Noble Qur’an, Al-Baqara, 2:187.
9. The Noble Qur’an, Al-Nūr, 24:37.
10. Ibn Ma‘ṣūm Madanī, Sayyid ‘Alī Khān. (1109 AH). Risāla fī al-Musalsala bil-Ābā’.
11. Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir. (n.d.). Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 107, p. 30. Qom: Islamic Publications.
12. Ganjī, Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf. (n.d.). Kifāyat al-Ṭālib fī Manāqib ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib. Qom: Islamic Publications.
13. Ḥurr ‘Āmilī, Muḥammad ibn Ḥasan. (n.d.). Wasā’il al-Shī‘a. Qom: Islamic Publications.