A Commentary on the Hamd Surah

Brief Summery on Some of the Secrets behind the Hamd Surah Extracted from

Sirr as-Salat

part 1

Be aware that “bismillah”‌ in the name of God”‌, at the beginning of each verse is syntactically connected to the verse which follows it, as it has been considered by the theologians. For this reason, in some aspects, “In the name of God”‌ contains a concept different from the “bismillah”‌ belonging to another verse, rather, “bismillah”‌ of each utterer in each utterance, in each conduct differs from “bismillah”‌ of the other verse’s “bismillah”‌. Describing this issue briefly is as follows:

Therefore, if we observe the multiplicity of manifestations and determination [we will comprehend] the agent or the aspect, which comes after it, has manifested each name. And the first step of the traveler on the way to Here after in his way faring is to teach his heart make it understand-that “bismillah”‌ is a mere manifesting determination, rather all are selves the name of God. And in this vision of light, names become different. The comprehension, contraction, the domination and the subordination of each name are followed by the manifestation and the mirror on which the (name) has been manifested.

[The wayfarer’s aspect about bismillah after abolishing determination and achieving the secret of the agent unity]

Though the God’s name according to the house of realization stands anterior to its manifestation, which is constitutive and subsistent for it yet due to the limitation, it stands appraiser to the manifestation, for the name is set in its own rank. And when the  spiritual  wayfarer  by  abolishing  the  attributions  and concealing the limitations would achieve the secret agent of deism, there, all verses, all aspects all conducts would possess only one single “bismillah”‌ with the same concept. Due to the first reasoning, there is no name more perfect, more comprehensive than “bismillah”‌ connected to the verse praise in the Qur’anic verses, as it is comprehended through the famous tradition, related to the “Mawla al-Mawali”‌ [namely Imam Ali (A.S)].

This is why that the definition of verse praise is much greater than the other bismillah, belonging to other verses.

As the learned theologians comment; the verse praise refers to the world of intelligible whose praised tongues are the essence tongues. And “rabb al-‘alamin”‌ [the God of the worlds] refers to the manifestation of “bismillah”‌ on the natural mirror due to the rank of divinity, which is reverting from defection into the perfection, and from the world of body to the world of pure intelligence and it is the characteristic of the world of materials bodies’ essence. And “maliki yawmi ad-din”‌ [the owner of the resurrection   Day]   refers   to   absolute   reverting   and   the Resurrection.

And when the eternity would dawn and the light of unity manifestation would manifest inside the mystic’s heart at the time of the Resurrection dawn, this cause the mystic attain the absolute presence. Thus, through the intercourse stage in the contiguous stage and the sacred rank through “iyyaka na‘budu”‌ [Thee only we serve thee only we pray for succor”‌] the spiritual wayfarer will become fluent. And after having become sober, following the purge he would ask for his own leading stage and his spiritual wayfaring companions. [Bismillah is the most perfect and the most comprehensive name of God].

Due to the foregoing reason, the verse praise is the whole structure of the being scientifically, objectively, purely, soberly, advisedly, conductively; and the name and its manifestation is supreme name and the absolute will:

“Fahuwa miftah al-kitab wa mikhtamuhu wa fatihatuhu wa khitamuhu”‌ as the name of God is the manifestation, the midname, the beginning and the ending:

“Allahu nuru’s-samawati wa’l-arz”‌

Therefore, the commentary on this verse accordance with the taste of the learned theologians is a follows:

Through the manifestation of the name of God, which is the stage of absolute “Will”‌ and the Supreme God’s name that possesses   the   mercifulness   will   stage,   which   is   the comprehension of the absolute being and the compassion’s “will”‌, which is the offering of the being’s perfection, the absolute praise world and the origin praised which is from the first stage of unseen limitation up to the end of horizon of the world’s idea, namely the first Limbo.

Source:

A Commentary on the Chapter of ‘Praise’ 

Witten by: Imam Khomeini(R.A)

Translator: Bahram Afrasiabi 

Other Links:

There is no prayer without the Opening of the Book (fatihah al-kitab)

Surah al-Fatihah: Interpretation of Bismillahi’r-rahmani’r-rahim