M6:742 — مصطفی زین گفت کای اسرارجو / مرده را خواهی که بینی زنده تو

Translation: Mustafa (the Prophet) from this said, O seeker of mysteries, Do you wish to see the dead one, alive? Meaning: This verse alludes to a Prophetic tradition, stating that if one wishes to see a dead person walking amongst the living, they should look at Abu Bakr. It signifies that there are individuals whose physical life continues on earth, yet their souls have already ascended and joined the higher realms.

This verse, whose roots Mowlana himself traces to Sunni Hadith collections, alludes to a Prophetic tradition describing the state of elevated and gnostic individuals. The Prophet (PBUH) stated that if one wishes to see a dead person walking alive on earth, they should look upon Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. This saying, unequivocally, holds a deeper meaning than its literal interpretation. It signifies that a personality like Abu Bakr, though living a physical life among people and upon the dust-heap of the earth, has a soul that has already ascended to the higher realm, to the Malā' al-Aʿlā (the highest assembly).

Such a person, in effect, experiences two lives simultaneously. This is precisely the concept of a 'meaningful life' that I have emphasized repeatedly: a life that is not merely an empty text, but a rich and significant narrative. These individuals lead a dual existence: one outward life in this world and an inner spiritual life where their souls are connected to the truths of the unseen world. We find this concept echoed in the Nahj al-Balagha, where Imam Ali (AS), in describing certain divine saints, states: 'Their spirits are attached to the Malā' al-Aʿlā.' This means their souls reside in the celestial realm, liberated from the constraints of earthly time and space, positioned within the sacred domain of the Divine.

For such a person, even if their body dies, their soul does not require a 'transfer' or 'transition' to another world, because it was already there, united with that realm. Before physical death, they have already completed their spiritual migration and reached their destination. This state bestows upon them an independent life overflowing with joy, for their happiness stems from an eternal and imperishable source, not from the fleeting matters of this world. This inner state and station cannot be grasped by intellect alone; it is discernible only through inner experience and confrontation with the reality of death and life, or as Mowlana puts it: 'This will be understood by death, not by intellect.' Such an individual has their head in the heavens, even as their feet are on the ground. Living in this manner imbues human life with unparalleled richness and liberates one from the captivity of a one-dimensional existence.

Key takeaways

• The verse alludes to a Prophetic tradition describing the 'living dead': one whose body is on earth, but whose soul has joined the Malā' al-Aʿlā.
• This gnostic state symbolizes a 'dual life': an outward physical existence and an inner spiritual one, which imbues life with meaning.
• Elevated individuals achieve liberation from dependency on fleeting life by connecting their souls to the higher realm before physical death.
• This station bestows lasting joy and peace from an eternal source, freeing one from the captivity of a one-dimensional existence.
• The comprehension of this truth is possible only through inner, mystical experience, not solely through intellect and reasoning.