Not One Adam, but Many

Muslimsufi: Not One Adam, but Many

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By Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqani

Our Grandshaykh says, "Knowledge is an endless ocean. All things that belong to Allah Almighty are endless, and Allah is teaching His servants so many different kinds of knowledge. Some of this knowledge originated at the time of Adam (peace be upon him), and has come down to our times. It is a huge body of knowledge, but it is very small compared with the knowledge that saints know about from before the time of Adam (peace be upon him). 

Shaykh Nazim continued, "Now, from Adam (peace be upon him) up until our time, there is Divine knowledge, held by the Awliya. But, before the creating of Adam (peace be upon him) there was so much knowledge, according to those who know. This knowledge, the knowledge that we have about our own era, is only like a drop from an ocean! 

"This makes our heads turn! What was there before Adam (peace be upon him)? Thinking of these things makes man humble, not able to say 'I know all!' What do we know? Only a little drop from oceans, no more." 

A brother asked, "Was Adam (peace be upon him) the first man, or, was he the first man of this batch of men, of which we are a part?" 

Shaykh Nazim answered, "We are coming to that now. Our Grandshaykh said that this is the period of our father, Adam (peace be upon him), and his sons. We are living in it now. But, before our father's period, so many Adams have been created - No one knows how many except Allah Almighty, the Creator! No one knows their number!" 

A murid asked, "Were these..." 

"Adams," supplied the Shaykh. 

"...Adams," repeated the questioner. "Were they like us, or were they different?" 

"Like them," answered Maulana. "Each adam, and his sons, were generally like us, in that they may be recognized as sons of Adam. All are servants of our Lord. Also, He Almighy, alone, knows how many Adams will come after us, how many periods there will be. Not on this world, because Allah Almighty has so many universes beyond counting. 

"He is Creator," Maulana continued, "creating. To Create means to make them appear. They are hidden; to create is to make them appear. We were hidden in His power oceans but now He makes us appear. When our period is finished, we will go back into that power oceans, to be hidden again. We are going to another station in that power oceans, Paradise. Paradise is also in His power oceans. They are swimming in His power oceans and in His mercy oceans, living, enjoying. When we disappear from this appearance, then we shall be in mercy oceans, enjoying."

from Mercy Oceans

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