No matter the mystic, the basis of their ‘religion’ is gnosis. Gnosis is defined as the idea of knowing God or his powers and abilities. The Mystic will ‘study’ (manipulate) portions of the scripture, they will study the creation of God (nature and animals), will dream and contemplate spirituality (which is good), to know God or his abilities (which is forbidden). No where in the Quran does Allah advise humanity to study and contemplate him in order to know or understand His (God’s) self better. In fact, our Shia Imams have outright forbidden this.
Imam Abu Jafar, aka Imam Muhammad Al-Jawad, the shia’s 9th Imam, was narrated to have said:
Speak about the creation of Allah and do not speak about Allah His self. Speaking about Allah His self does not add anything to one’s knowledge but more confusion.
Al-Kafi complied by Al-Kulayni, H 242, Ch. 8, h 1, with the following isnad – Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from abu Basir From Imam abu Ja‘ far (a.s.) who has said the preceding.
Here we are plainly told to speak about the creation of Allah (such as stars, moon, sun, complex mammals, and trees, and landscape), rather than speaking about Allah. Trying to describe Allah would only add confusion.
Imam Abu Abu’ Abdullah (a.s.) aka Imam Hussein the 3rd Imam, comments on a Quran verse which tells us that in the end we will go to our Lord where we will find out what we don’t know. He was narrated to have said:
“The words of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, that say, ‘And that the final end is unto thy Lord.” (53:42) instructs people to end a discussion that would take up Allah’s self as an object of investigation.”
Al-Kafi complied by Al-Kulayni, H 243, Ch. 8, h 2, with the following isnad – Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu ‘Umayr from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj from Sulayman ibn Khalid from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), who has said the preceding.
Imam Abu Jafar, aka Imam Muhammad Al-Jawad, the shia’s 9th Imam, was narrated to have described a wrongly guided people in the past who ignored acquiring necessary knowledge, but instead they would try to gain knowledge that was not required of them such as Allah’s self. They became confused.
“O Ziyad, beware of debates because they create doubts, invalidate one’s good deeds and turn one into a complete wreck. One may say a thing, perhaps, he will not be forgiven. In the past there lived a people who ignored acquiring the necessary knowledge and instead they sought a knowledge that was not required of them. They came to speak of Allah’s self and they became confused. Their extreme perplexity was such that if called from the front they would reply to the back and to the front if called from the back.’”
Al-Kafi complied by Al-Kulayni, H 245, Ch. 8, h 4, with the following isnad – A group of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Humran from abu ‘Ubaydah (Ziyad ibn ‘Isa) alHadhdha’ from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the preceding.
Here we are told by our 9th Imam to only speak of the attributes of Allah in which he himself has spoken of in the Quran, and ignore all other possible attributes.
“Imam abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) wrote to my father, ‘Allah is far High, Glorious and Great than that one can reach the essence of His attribute. Speak of only those of His attributes of which He Himself has spoken and refrain from attributes other than those ones.
Al-Kafi complied by Al-Kulayni, H 269, Ch. 10, h 6, with the following isnad – Sahl has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibrahim from Muhammad ibn Hakim who has said the preceding.
Further, some mystics may argue that humans do in fact have some divinity to them or that Allah gave us all or some of us the ability to access divine ability or knowledge. One piece of evidence used by mystics is that Allah blew his holy spirit into Adam and Jesus. Imam Ali said the following about this:
“I asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the spirit (Ruh) which was in Adam as indicated in the Holy Quran, ‘When it is properly shaped and I have blown My Spirit into it (15:29).’” Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) replied, “This is a created spirit and the spirit in Jesus is created.”
Al-Kafi complied by Al-Kulayni, H 342, Ch. 21, h 1, with the following isnad – It is narrated from a number of our people from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn abu ‘Umayr from ’Udhayna from al-Ahwal who has said the following.
Imam Ali further said that we cannot have word to describe Allah, and in fact all verbal descriptions of Allah or his expressions fall short and end up being misleading.
“…There is no attribute that would reach Him and He has no limit for a definition or an analogy. All the linguistic beauty and expressions fall far short to express His attributes. In speaking of Him all attributes prove to be misleading…”
Al-Kafi complied by Al-Kulayni, H 346, Ch. 22, h 1, with the following isnad – Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah and Muhammad ibn Yahya – both in a marfu‘ manner- have narrated from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the preceding.
Here were but a few examples of where the Shia Imams forbid thinking and contemplating Allah’s self, powers, abilities, or to describe his essence. A mystic spends all of his time and energy trying to understand God, his power, and how to be a partner with God. The object of contemplating and/or knowing God is wrong and impossible according to Islam.
In fact, Allah himself declares that he sees and comprehends everything, though nothing can comprehend or see him.
No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.
Quran – 6: 103 – لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
In fact, Allah declares on the Quran that everything in the universe sings his praises, and we cannot even comprehend how that happens.
The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: there is not a thing but celebrates His praise; And yet ye understand not how they declare His glory! Verily He is Oft-Forbear, Most Forgiving!
Quran – 17:44 – تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ ٱلسَّبْعُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ ۚ وَإِن مِّن شَىْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًۭا
In fact, Allah himself in the Quran defines the goal of this life, and that is to test us as to who is best in deed, rather than to test who can understand Him better.
[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving –
Quran – 67:2: – الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ
Allah makes it clear that we are to try to understand the scripture (Quran) which is a book on our obligations in this life. If we fail in our obligations, it is because we carried around the books rather than read and studied them. And no where in the Quran does Allah recommend or advise humanity to study Allah’s himself and his powers.
The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (but understands them not). Evil is the similitude of people who falsify the Signs of Allah: and Allah guides not people who do wrong.
Quran – 62:5 – مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا بِئْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Allah swt in the Quran only advises us to remember him and have faith in him. No where does Allah swt suggest we can know him or understand him or his powers.
Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith.
Quran – 2:152
Hopefully I have proven that we cannot and should not try to understand Allah, and even if we can understand in our hearts Allah to a limited extent, we are not meant to share or teach this with people as a sort of sub-cult or religion. In the future I will do an article about how all events, whether ‘natural’ or ‘supernatural’ are done through the power and permission of Allah. In other words, even our breathing is done through the power and permission of Allah. This should discount all mystics who believe they can develop supernatural abilities through their own agency.
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