Theology - Dr Motaleb barazandeh

Theology
By: Dr. Motaleb Barazandeh (Ph.D);
Metaphysician and Parapsychologist

Knowledge, one of human being’s evolutionary stages, can be attained in believers after abundant devotions and asceticism. Knowledge is the light of the heart and a sign of virtue and faith. Those without knowledge have hearts that are dark and empty of the light of faith. The prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said, “ Knowledge is my capital, wisdom is the root of my religion, love is my tool, desire is my horse, and the remembrance of the glorious God is my companion.” Thus each disciple is required to learn the essential knowledge from the masters and also show it in action. The most important elements of knowledge consist of self-realization, Theology, knowing the holy prophet, the world, Futurity, death and Devil. When knowledge is attained, its signs also start to appear. The holy Ali (PBUH), the Lord of Gnostics, said, “The one who recognizes God becomes lonely. The one who recognizes himself becomes single. The one who recognizes the world abandons it; and the one who recognizes people chooses solitude”.

The person who acquires all the necessary knowledge is called a Gnostic (all people do not reach to this level). In the valuable book of “The Literary and Gnosis Interpretation of the Holy Koran”, it has been quoted from the Gnostics that: “The essence of knowledge consists of seclusion from people, having privacy with God, invocation, insight; sometimes being in reverence of the glory of God; and sometimes meditating with the hope of God’s kindness.

Self-realization: Self-realization is the ultimate stage of knowledge, which leads to knowing God. Masters have claimed that self-realization is the most profitable of all knowledge. Therefore, self-realization is the best wisdom and the most profitable knowledge. And the most naïve people are the ones who do not know themselves.

A human being is composed of three parts: body, soul, and spirit. “Spirit”, the central core and the main essence of human being, has originated from God and will also return to Him. “Body” is a means that is in our authority during the short time of living in the physical world; and is nothing more than a gift. “Soul” is a part between body and spirit. There is a great difference between the nature of the body and spirit. Body is terrestrial and spirit is celestial. As a result of these contrasts, they can not be easily united unless a third element which is the soul and that functions as a connector joins them. Some believe that, soul is the result of the dual relationship between body and spirit.

It is assumed that the self-realization that results in theology is knowing the spirit. Since knowing God completely is impossible, spirit has qualities that help us in knowing the Unique Creator; for knowing God completely is an impossible issue. Perhaps the best conclusion we can get from insight in the subject matter of Theology is to understand that we are unable to know God.

Spirit can not be sensed with the five senses and contacted through materialistic means. For example, we can not see or touch the spirit or communicate with it through telephone. In the same way, the omniscient God can not be sensed by the five senses and touched by materialistic means. The spirit is unique in the body, and does not have a special position although the signs of its presence are obvious in the whole body. The eternal God is also unique in the universe. Despite not having any special location, He is present every where. Spirit has the ability to stimulate and rule the body; the abilityto stimulate and rule the world is also within God’s authority. Spirit is conscious of the body but body is unable to know the spirit; also, the omniscient God, has complete awareness of the whole universe but the creatures are unable to know Him. Spirit has existed before the creation of the body and will also exist after its death. God is also eternal.

Imam Sadegh (PBUH), the founder of the first university of Theology said, “The self-realization of human beings is to know oneself by four natures, four pillars, and four elements. The four natures are: blood, bile, wind, and phlegm. The pillars are wisdom from which understanding and memory originate. The elements are light, fire, spirit, and water”.

Theology: Knowing the honorable God is the highest level of knowledge and also a factor in the completion of knowledge. Knowing God causes love for Him, wanting nothing from people, letting go of the world. The one who knows God will not be lonely although it only seems like he is far from people; for knowing God is the companion of any lonesome and the supporter of any lonely person.

Theology is the power of the helpless, the light of any darkness and the cure of the sick. The one who succeeds in knowing God will spend days fasting and nights worshipping Him. The other blessings gained are: controlling one’s tongue and stomach and being safe from the many calamities and their consequences.

God should be known through God. Knowing him through other means also originates from Him. Sheykh Sadoogh said, “If we know Him through our wisdom, this wisdom is a Divine gift. If we know Him by means of His prophets and reasons, it is the glorious God who has chosen them and sent them to us as His mercy and grace. If we know Him by means of self-realization, our selves are God’s creation, therefore in any way we have known God through God”.\

Perhaps some have thought that if they had died in childhood and before coming to age, they would go straight to Heaven and didn’t need to tolerate all the burdens and difficulties in the world. Ali (PBUH), the lord of virtuous, said, “I do not like dying in childhood and going to Heaven while I have not known my Lord”.

There are three ways to know God. First, knowing Him through the signs in nature, which is done by common people; by learning about nature, they get to know God. Second, knowing Him through the signs in oneself (self-realization) which is done by chosen people; they get to know God through their hearts. Knowing God through the signs in oneself is more beneficial for it is accompanied by the reform of one’s characteristics and deeds. The third way of knowing God is through vision, which is the way of saints and masters and not all can get to this knowledge. From another point of view, people can get to the knowledge of God in three ways. First, knowing God by means of senses and tangible issues. Second, by intellect and logical reasoning, and third, through inner revelation.

Masters have stated that knowing oneself results in knowing God. Disagreement with self results in agreement with God. Dissatisfaction of self leads to satisfaction of God. Abandoning self results in becoming close to God. Also, disobeying the desires of self leads to obeying God. Becoming far from self causes nearness to God. Turning away from self leads to having friendship with God, and for turning away from self, we should get help from God.

With all the above mentioned importance of self realization and Theology, we, the ones who claim to be in the path of evolution, should ask ourselves: How much of the necessary knowledge have we learned? How successful have we been in achieving knowledge? Have we gathered the necessary knowledge for being in this path? Are we one of those who wish they had died at childhood and had gone to Heaven? Or are we the ones who like to grow so that they could reach Theology?

References: Barazandeh, Motaleb. (2006) Higher Knowledge, Tehran: Jangal Publications.

Dr. Motaleb Barazandeh (Ph.D);
Metaphysician and Parapsychologist