The Bible tells us the story of Jesus, upon him be peace, but it does not explain where he was between the ages of twelve and thirty. It does not say whether he remained in this world or went to the kingdom of heaven. Where was he? What happened during those eighteen years?
My grandchildren, if we don't know the complete history of Jesus, how can we understand him? How can we know who he truly is if we do not know his state? How can we know his glory?
My love you, my grandchildren. Let me explain something to you about those eighteen years.
Have you ever noticed how, in the morning when the sun is still low on the horizon, you can see long shadows stretching from the trees? Sometimes a shadow might extend a hundred and fifty feet. But when the sun is directly overhead at midday, you cannot see any shadow at all. Then later, when the sun is at low angle again, even your own shadow will be over a hundred feet long. But are you really that tall? No, you are only a few feet tall.
My grandchildren, we live in a world which casts shadows. People only know that something exists when they see its forms, a form that casts a shadow. If that form is missing, they cannot see anything. That is why the prophets came as forms which cast shadows. For our sakes they appeared to us in a way that we could understand, in a form which we could see with our eyes. But because their shadow forms are no longer here today, people say, 'The prophets are no longer here. They are dead and gone.'
Jesus did live in this world during those eighteen years, but he dwelt where the people of the world could not know him. He did not live within earth, fire, water, air, or ether. He did not live with the desire for women, earth, and gold. He made the world within him die. He surrendered to God and merged with God. His body was still in the world, but he was not in his body. The soul was with him, but the world was not. No one saw him during those eighteen years, for Jesus was with God, immersed in prayer.
His body was in the world, but he was not in the body, he was in the section of God.
The people who believed in the body, because they only had the eyes to see the world, did not see him during that time. Those who caried the body of five elements of earth, fire, water, air and ether could not see him. Those who believed in the differences between I and you could not see him. Those who were caught by arrogance, karma, illusion, and pride could not see him. Religions, races, and scriptures could not see him. None of these could see Jesus, because the world was not in him. He was here, but he was not visible to the eyes of the world.
During the time that Jesus was with our Primal Father, surrendered in Allahu, the light of God was at its zenith within him, just as the sun in midday is directly overhead. The shadow of his body was not to be seen. But then he came back to the world to continue his work. When he came out of that state, people said, "Jesus has returned," because they identified him with his body. They were looking for a physical form, not for the true Jesus.
For the next three years, Jesus spoke to the people, saying, "My father God says..." And it was then that people began to find fault with him. The Bible says that he was finally captured and crucified. But during the crucifixion that is spoke of Jesus' state was comparable to his state during those eighteen years.
My love you, my grandchildren. Do you understand? We can only explain something if we have understood its meaning. We are only able to speak about what we have seen after we have experienced it. And we can only know the truth when we have opened the eye of wisdom to understand it.
The knowledge you have now, my children, is limited by the intellect. The scriptures are also limited by this boundary. You can understand the words of the prophets and the lights of God only up to that level. Intellect cannot see beyond itself. Only when you transcend the intellect can you know what is beyond. Only with the four higher levels of judgment, subtle wisdom, analytic wisdom, and divine luminous wisdom can you progress.
God is beyond intellect. He is beyond scriptures, religion, race and caste. He is a treasure which cannot be described within the bounds of intellect, a perfectly pure treasure beyond all beginnings and endings.
My love you, my grandchildren. Just as the world did not see Jesus during those eighteen years, the world will not see us when we do not have the world within us. The state in which we forget this body and this world and dwell within God is true meditation and prayer. If you are in that state, you will not be aware of this body. Your body will be here, but it will be forgotten, as if it were dead. Your friends, relations, and possessions will all be forgotten. You will see only God. You will be living in His truth and in His body.
My love you, my grandchildren. What do you think people are searching for? They seek only a shadow that comes from darkness. But when a body is connected to God, it becomes light. When such a pure light or resplendence appears, it will be invisible to those whose eyes can perceive only shadows, the forms of darkness.
No one saw Jesus for eighteen years because they were looking for him in that way. The sign they held dear and searched for was not there. He had become light, and the darkness had gone away. The body had no more pull on him, and he disappeared within God. But after the work of those years was completed, the form emerged in the world again, and the people found what they were looking for. Then the rest of his history was written.
My loving grandchildren, even though you and I are in the world, we will not be in this body when we dwell in God. At that time we will be in light, and when that light comes to us, we will not cast any shadow. Only God's power will exist when we reach the state in which our prayers, worship, and our devotion, or ibadat, dwell within God. However, as long as we are not in that state, the body will exist. We will live in this world and not within Him, and we will be in darkness.
Histories can only be written about the time that one is in this world. They cannot be written about the time that on dwells in God. That is why the Bible does not speak about the life of Jesus during those eighteen years. And that is also why the true state of all the prophets has never really been known. The world searched for their shadows, their bodies. Without searching for their true state and without knowing who the prophets really were, people beat them and chased them and made them suffer. Such is the wonder of the ignorance of man.
My love you, my grandchildren. When light comes, this section of earth disappears. But when the section of earth and darkness comes, the light fades away.
My grandchildren, if we don't know the complete history of Jesus, how can we understand him? How can we know who he truly is if we do not know his state? How can we know his glory?
My love you, my grandchildren. Let me explain something to you about those eighteen years.
Have you ever noticed how, in the morning when the sun is still low on the horizon, you can see long shadows stretching from the trees? Sometimes a shadow might extend a hundred and fifty feet. But when the sun is directly overhead at midday, you cannot see any shadow at all. Then later, when the sun is at low angle again, even your own shadow will be over a hundred feet long. But are you really that tall? No, you are only a few feet tall.
My grandchildren, we live in a world which casts shadows. People only know that something exists when they see its forms, a form that casts a shadow. If that form is missing, they cannot see anything. That is why the prophets came as forms which cast shadows. For our sakes they appeared to us in a way that we could understand, in a form which we could see with our eyes. But because their shadow forms are no longer here today, people say, 'The prophets are no longer here. They are dead and gone.'
Jesus did live in this world during those eighteen years, but he dwelt where the people of the world could not know him. He did not live within earth, fire, water, air, or ether. He did not live with the desire for women, earth, and gold. He made the world within him die. He surrendered to God and merged with God. His body was still in the world, but he was not in his body. The soul was with him, but the world was not. No one saw him during those eighteen years, for Jesus was with God, immersed in prayer.
His body was in the world, but he was not in the body, he was in the section of God.
The people who believed in the body, because they only had the eyes to see the world, did not see him during that time. Those who caried the body of five elements of earth, fire, water, air and ether could not see him. Those who believed in the differences between I and you could not see him. Those who were caught by arrogance, karma, illusion, and pride could not see him. Religions, races, and scriptures could not see him. None of these could see Jesus, because the world was not in him. He was here, but he was not visible to the eyes of the world.
During the time that Jesus was with our Primal Father, surrendered in Allahu, the light of God was at its zenith within him, just as the sun in midday is directly overhead. The shadow of his body was not to be seen. But then he came back to the world to continue his work. When he came out of that state, people said, "Jesus has returned," because they identified him with his body. They were looking for a physical form, not for the true Jesus.
For the next three years, Jesus spoke to the people, saying, "My father God says..." And it was then that people began to find fault with him. The Bible says that he was finally captured and crucified. But during the crucifixion that is spoke of Jesus' state was comparable to his state during those eighteen years.
My love you, my grandchildren. Do you understand? We can only explain something if we have understood its meaning. We are only able to speak about what we have seen after we have experienced it. And we can only know the truth when we have opened the eye of wisdom to understand it.
The knowledge you have now, my children, is limited by the intellect. The scriptures are also limited by this boundary. You can understand the words of the prophets and the lights of God only up to that level. Intellect cannot see beyond itself. Only when you transcend the intellect can you know what is beyond. Only with the four higher levels of judgment, subtle wisdom, analytic wisdom, and divine luminous wisdom can you progress.
God is beyond intellect. He is beyond scriptures, religion, race and caste. He is a treasure which cannot be described within the bounds of intellect, a perfectly pure treasure beyond all beginnings and endings.
My love you, my grandchildren. Just as the world did not see Jesus during those eighteen years, the world will not see us when we do not have the world within us. The state in which we forget this body and this world and dwell within God is true meditation and prayer. If you are in that state, you will not be aware of this body. Your body will be here, but it will be forgotten, as if it were dead. Your friends, relations, and possessions will all be forgotten. You will see only God. You will be living in His truth and in His body.
My love you, my grandchildren. What do you think people are searching for? They seek only a shadow that comes from darkness. But when a body is connected to God, it becomes light. When such a pure light or resplendence appears, it will be invisible to those whose eyes can perceive only shadows, the forms of darkness.
No one saw Jesus for eighteen years because they were looking for him in that way. The sign they held dear and searched for was not there. He had become light, and the darkness had gone away. The body had no more pull on him, and he disappeared within God. But after the work of those years was completed, the form emerged in the world again, and the people found what they were looking for. Then the rest of his history was written.
My loving grandchildren, even though you and I are in the world, we will not be in this body when we dwell in God. At that time we will be in light, and when that light comes to us, we will not cast any shadow. Only God's power will exist when we reach the state in which our prayers, worship, and our devotion, or ibadat, dwell within God. However, as long as we are not in that state, the body will exist. We will live in this world and not within Him, and we will be in darkness.
Histories can only be written about the time that one is in this world. They cannot be written about the time that on dwells in God. That is why the Bible does not speak about the life of Jesus during those eighteen years. And that is also why the true state of all the prophets has never really been known. The world searched for their shadows, their bodies. Without searching for their true state and without knowing who the prophets really were, people beat them and chased them and made them suffer. Such is the wonder of the ignorance of man.My love you, my grandchildren. When light comes, this section of earth disappears. But when the section of earth and darkness comes, the light fades away.
Think about this. You must understand the prophets that God sent and know their true form. You must think about their words. You must think about everything with wisdom. In what way should you establish your connection with God? In what way should you conduct your life? Acquire God's qualities. Learn wisdom and the divine knowledge of 'ilm. Understand every section and then know. Amin.
- fromCome to the Secret Garden:
Sufi Tales of Wisdom
by M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen
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