48. Al-Fath
In terms of its literal meaning, chapter Fath explains the Hudaibiya Treaty and the conquering of Mecca. But the scope of its meaning is certainly not limited to this.
The deeper meaning of this chapter pertains to much profound and elevated truths known only to the qualified ones.
It is not possible to disclose these, but I wish not to move on without sharing some insight in regard to the deeper meaning of the first three verses, for they point to a significant truth of Sufism.
Let us re-read these three verses:
1. Indeed, we have given you the Clear Conquest (fath; the clear observation of the system of the reality)!
2. That Allah may forgive (cover/conceal) your past and (in spite of the conquest – fath) future misdeeds (the veils resulting from corporeality) and complete His favor upon you and guide you to the experience of your reality (essence).
3. Allah will lead you to an unmatched mighty victory!
Since the obvious literal meaning of this chapter can be found in every translation and interpretation of the Quran, there is no need for me to repeat it here. As for the hidden inner meaning that Allah has allowed me to understand in line with the clarity and irfan with which He has blessed me...
The word ‘fath’ means the opening or conquering of something seemingly unattainable. As such, the greatest attainment in the worldly life is to conquer the Intermediary Realm (barzakh), which is a stage of the life after – and the only way for this is to ‘die while living,’ as the Sufis would say!
There are two types of conquest (fath): external and internal...
Internal conquest is also of two types:
a. Self-conquest
b. Fath-i Mubin
Essentially, there are seven degrees of conquest. One is said to have attained conquest when the first of these degrees is actualized.
Conquest is not a state that can reached by personal effort.
It is a state of living in this world with the qualities of the spirit rather than the body. That is to say, while living in this body and this dimension, the person is relinquished from his bodily ties as though he has died and moves on to the life of the spirit. It is the complete experience of the event to which Sufism refers to as “dying before death.” As far as we have been taught, the number of people who are able to attain this state, called the fath-i nurani do not exceed forty individuals.
Conquest can be further categorized as:
1. Fath-i dhulmani
2. Fath-i nurani
Fath-i dhulmani can become apparent on all people, whether Muslim or not. What appears to be the result of ‘enlightenment’, especially observable on Hindu and Buddhist sages and monks, is generally this state. In religious terms it is called istidraj, which refers to supernatural states that are driven by ego and jinn-based energies, observable on those who lack the light (nur) of faith.
There are two significant signs of fath-i dhulmani. Firstly, a person in this state does not accept Muhammad (saw) as the Rasul of Allah, and secondly, he is not saved from the illusion of having a separate individual self!
Those who reach the state of fath-i dhulmani may know your past and be present at a few places simultaneously. They may see the states of the deceased and communicate with the jinn, along with other seemingly supernatural behaviors.
Those who reach the state of fath-i nurani show similar abilities, but their distinction is, after adapting to this life in a short time, they continue to develop and reach the third station of fath where they meet the Rasul of Allah (saw) and other Nabis and saints to learn of the states of the intermediary realm (barzakh), after which they take their place among the Rijali Ghayb (Men of the Unknown).
When one reaches the state of fath-i mubin, it is essential that they are able to correctly maintain this state. That is, when one experiences fath-i mubin and is freed from the constraints of the body, it is easy to get carried away and completely sever one’s bodily ties, leading to death in a literal sense.
So long as physical death does not occur, one who reaches the state of fath-i mubin continues to progress by increasing their strength and brain capacity and elevating their level of knowledge...
No further information regarding this state may be disclosed here, so let us continue to explore the meaning of the above verses:
“Indeed, we have given you the Clear Conquest (fath; the clear observation of the system of the reality)!” (Quran 48:1)
This ‘definite and clear conquest’ may not be attained through personal effort; it is entirely a favor from Allah. Thus, the person lives in the world as a citizen of the intermediary realm, aware of all the intrinsic meanings and wisdom behind the things of the world, and no misdeed will be produced by them.
Living at this reality then, Allah will ‘forgive (cover/conceal) your past and future misdeeds (the veils resulting from corporeality)’ that prevent the observation of the Oneness of Allah and complete His favor upon you by giving you fath – the experience of your reality (essence).
Fath-i nurani is the greatest attainment one can ever have in the life of this world; it is almost like living in Paradise while on earth.
And He will ‘lead you to an unmatched mighty victory.’
By the one who is denoted by the name Allah (who created my being with His Names in accord with the meaning of the letter ‘B’), the Rahman, the Rahim.
1. Indeed, we have given you the Clear Conquest (fath; the clear observation of the system of the reality)!
2. That Allah may forgive (cover/conceal) your past and (in spite of the conquest – fath) future misdeeds (the veils resulting from corporeality) and complete His favor upon you and guide you to the experience of your reality (essence).
3. Allah will lead you to an unmatched mighty victory!
4. It is HU who sends tranquility (sense of security) to the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith! The soldiers of the heavens and the earth belong to Allah! Allah is the Aleem, the Hakim.
5. And to admit the believing men and women to Paradises, underneath which rivers flow, in which they will abide eternally, in order to remove from them their bad deeds... This is the great attainment in the sight of Allah!
6. And that He may punish the hypocrite men and women and the dualist men and women who misperceive Allah who comprises their essential reality with His Names (as a god)! May the evil turn of fortune be upon them for their assumptions! Allah’s wrath and curse is upon them (distanced them from the experience of the reality due to their denial) and prepared Hell for them! What a wretched place of return!
7. The soldiers (forces) of the heavens and the earth belong to Allah... Allah is the Aziz, the Hakim.
8. Indeed, we disclosed you as a witness, giver of good news and as a warner!
9. So, believe in Allah – your essential reality with His Names – and His Rasul; support him, exalt and respect him, and engage in glorifying Him (tasbih) by morning and night.
10. Indeed, (my Rasul) those who pledge allegiance to you have pledged allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands (the hand of Allah administers over the hands of those who pledge allegiance)! So, he who breaks his word has broken it against his own self, and he who keeps his word to Allah will be given a great reward!
11. Those who remained behind of the Bedouins say, “Our properties and children kept us occupied, so ask forgiveness for us”... But they say with their tongues what they do not actually mean! Say, “Who can go against the will of Allah if He intended to give you harm or if He willed to benefit you?”... No, Allah is aware of what you do (as the creator of your actions).
12. You thought the Rasul and the believers would not return to their families! This seemed pleasing to your consciousness, and thus you assumed a bad assumption and became a people worthy of suffering!
13. Whoever does not believe in Allah and His Rasul, as their essential reality with His Names, let them know that We have prepared a blaze (of fire – waves of radiation) for those who deny the knowledge of the reality.
14. The sovereignty of the heavens and the earth is for (the manifestation of the Names of) Allah! He forgives (covers the offensive state of) whom He wills and gives suffering (the consequence of corporeality) to whom He wills! Allah is the Ghafur, the Rahim.
15. Those who remained behind will say when you go to collect the spoils of war, “Let us come with you.” They want to change the words of Allah. Say, “You can never follow us; for this is what Allah said (decreed) before”... Then they will say, “No, you envy us”... On the contrary, they are people devoid of understanding!
16. Say to the Bedouins who remained behind, “You will be called to battle against a people of great strength and might... Either you fight them or they will submit (to Islam). If you obey, Allah will give you a good reward... But if you turn away as you turned away before, then He will subject you to a great suffering.”
17. There is no obligation upon the blind, the cripple and the one who is ill! If he obeys Allah and His Rasul He will admit him to Paradises underneath which rivers flow... But whoever turns away, He will punish him with a severe suffering.
18. Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, so He gave tranquility (serenity) to their hearts and rewarded them with an imminent conquest (certainty).
19. And He gave them many spoils of war... Allah is the Aziz, the Hakim.
20. Allah has promised many spoils of war to you... And He has hastened this for you and withheld the hands of people from you that this may be a sign for the believers and that He may guide you to a straight path.
21. And He promised other things to them, which you are not capable of, that Allah had already encompassed (internally and externally). Allah is Qadir over all things.
22. If those who deny the knowledge of the reality were to fight with you they would surely have turned their backs in flight... And then they would not have found a friend (protector) or a helper.
23. This is the established sunnatullah! And never will you find in the sunnatullah (the mechanics of Allah’s system) any change!
24. It is HU who withheld their hands from you and your hands from them in the center of Mecca after He made you overcome them. Allah is Basir of your actions (as their creator).
25. They are those who deny the knowledge of the reality, obstruct you from the Masjid al-Haram, and prevent the offerings from reaching their places... If it was not for the believing men and women (among them), of whom you are unaware, and thus could inadvertently trample and then be upset by it (Allah would not have prevented the battle)... This was so that Allah may admit whom He wills to His grace... If the (believers and nonbelievers) had been separate from one another, surely We would have punished those who disbelieved with a severe suffering. (Suffering does not befall a place where there are righteous people... 8:33, 29:32)
26. The deniers of the knowledge of the reality had put patriotism (ethnocentricity, pride out of ignorance) and narrow-mindedness (conservatism) into their hearts... Allah gave tranquility (serenity) to those who believed in Allah and His Rasul and secured them upon the Truth: “There is no god, only Allah” (La ilaha illaAllah)... They were those who experienced this reality and were deserving of it... Allah is Aleem of all things.
27. Indeed, Allah confirmed to His Rasul his vision in Truth... InshaAllah (with the manifestation of the Names of Allah comprising your essence), you will most definitely enter the Masjid al-Haram, in safety, with (some of) your heads shaved or shortened, without any fear! (Allah) knowing what you do not know, has arranged before this an imminent conquest (of closeness/certainty).
28. He disclosed His Rasul as the articulator of the reality and upon the religion of Truth (the understanding of the reality of sunnatullah, which is the system and order manifesting the Names of Allah) superior to all understanding of religion! And sufficient is Allah (with His presence in their being) as Shahid (Witness).
29. Muhammad is the Rasul of Allah! Those with him are stern against the deniers of the reality, but compassionate among themselves... You will see them bowing (in awe of the observation of Allah’s Names as the absolute administrator over existence at all times), prostrating (with the awareness that existence comprises only the Names and thus experiencing their nonexistence with the realization of not having a separate independent being), seeking the bounty (the awareness of the forces of the Names) and the pleasure of Allah (enlightenment to the reality and the ability to actualize its potentials)... And on their faces (consciousness) is the mark of prostration (the comprehension of their nonexistence)! This is their metaphoric description in the Torah (laws in regards to the identity-self)... And their description (similitude) in the Gospel is that of a plant, which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, giving delight to its sowers... Allah does this to enrage the deniers (coverers) of the reality with them (the manifestations of His Names)! Allah has promised those who believe and fulfill its requisites, forgiveness and a great reward.