20 - The permanent archetypes (Al ‘Ayānal-Thābitah)
Summary
In the name of God, the Immensely beneficent and theEndlessly merciful. This is a beneficial piece inrelation to the knowledge of reality attained viaoutpourings (futūḥ)through time. It will prove to be of valueGod-willing. This text was written towards the endof the sacred month of Rajab.
Know that the realities of all things – which are namedas immutable entities – when explored, is the bodyof information in the knowledge of God in thebeginning and forever. This knowledge ispre-existent and eternal. In the same manner, theknown (ma’lūm) ispre-existent and eternal through (bi) the beginningless, eternal knowledgeof God.
Some statements describe the existence of immutableentities in (the divine) knowledge as the body ofinformation in the knowledge of God establishedfirmly in (fī) His preexistent andeternal knowledge because it exists in reality.However, this is guesswork issuing from theincarnationists and is impossible to maintain. If(on the other hand), such an entity was in itsessence a “possible non-existent”, it would not haveeven smelled the fragrance of existence, much lessbeing considered as an existent. But it is nottotally nonexistent. So understand this. […]
Other descriptions of these entities say that they areto be seen as established meanings in divineknowledge which are neither non-existent norexistent. A detailed explanation of this is beyondthe scope of this booklet.
As for the statement that these entities are created,this perhaps refers to the originated nature oftheir outward forms, effects, laws which they obeyand exigencies. In this respect, immutable entitiesare known as a possible existents (al-mawjūdāt al-mumkinah) oras potential existence (jā’izal wujūd). Otherwise, such a statement isincorrect. As for naming them “factual realities”(ḥaqāiq al‘ilmīyyah), it is based on theconsideration that the effects, spirits and formsthat appear in existence are dependent on theseentities. Referring to them as “immutable entities”(al ‘ayān althābitah) is because of them being firmlyestablished in divine knowledge and not beingdisconnected from such knowledge in essence. Namingthem as pre-existent information (al-ma‘lūmīyāt al-azalīyyah)is because they are (intrinsically) connected to theReal, Glorified is He. They also have differentnames from the aforementioned. You can find these inlengthier works.
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- Spiritual Path, Spiritual RealitySelected Writings of Shaykh Yusuf ofMacassar, pp. 166 - 168Publisher: University of South AfricaPrint publication year: 2020