The fact that we perceive through two faculties is a reason for duality. Both the faculty of singular perception and the faculty of dual perception, as such, are reasons for dual meanings. It is as if there is a close meaning for “the creation” that we perceive through the faculty of dual perception and a distant meaning for “the Creator” that we perceive through the faculty of singular perception. The creation and the Creator are also duals, since the creation is a manifestation of the Divine Self at the level of Divine actions—through the Divine actions the creation came into existence. The Quran, expressly, refers to the faculty of singular perception and the faculty of dual perception: “Therein verily is a reminder for him who has a heart, or gives ear with full intelligence” (50:37). Here, what is intended in “Therein verily is a reminder for him who has a heart,” is a sound and stable heart that is not divided by fears and desires. If a sound heart was not realized, then our close preceding meaning is that of dual perception: “or gives ear.” That is to say listens, “with full intelligence,” whereas the mind is not scattered by delusions, vanities, and ignorance. As if the meaning of the verse is: Therein verily is a reminder for him who has a heart or a mind.

In fact, duality is common in the Quran and not needing to be demonstrated, as we did here. Yet, we found out from our contacts and discussions with opponents that duality is abstruse to them. We can give as an example Al Fatiha (the opening chapter of the Holy Quran). Al Fatiha is known as “The Dual Seven,” and it is the Grand Quran. God says, in Fatiha: “In the name of God, the Beneficent the Merciful. Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds; the Beneficent the Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. It is You we serve, and it is You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who are object of anger or of those who are astray.” These are the seven verses. The first is “In the name of God, the Beneficent the Merciful;” the second is “Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds;” the third is “the Beneficent the Merciful;” the fourth is “Master of the Day of Judgment;” the fifth is “It is You we serve, and it is You we ask for help;” the sixth is “Guide us to the straight path;” and the seventh verse is “The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who are object of anger or of those who are astray”. The Al Fatiha (the opening chapter of the Holy Quran) expresses “The Dual Seven,” because it comprises seven verses. It is dual because each of its verses has a close meaning and a distant meaning. The close and distant meanings in the verses “In the name of God, the Beneficent the Merciful; Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds; the Beneficent the Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment; It is You we serve, and it is You we ask for help,” are service and servitude. There is also a close meaning and a distant meaning when shifting from “It is You we serve,” to “and it is You we ask for help; Guide us to the straight path; The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who are object of anger or of those who are astray.” The close meaning is service, while the distant meaning is servitude. However, in the phrase “It is You we serve,” the meaning that is more striking than servitude is service, which is the close meaning. That is the devotional service at the exoteric level which is the outset of undertaking the creed’s assimilative process.

The meaning “service” is more perceptible than the meaning “servitude”—service is closer to us than servitude. That is because we are not conscious yet of servitude. Rather, in fact we are obscured from servitude by service. As we have characterized the verse, “Whoever wills among you may take a right course” as exoteric—that is a service verse, we also characterized the verse “Your will is effectual only if it is the Will of God, the Lord of the worlds” as esoteric truth—that is a servitude verse, or rather a service and servitude verse. At first, we are obscured from servitude by service. We are obscured by the verse, “Whoever wills among you may take a right course,” as we have no experience with or perceptivity of the verse: “Your will is effectual only if it is the will of God, the Lord of the worlds.” Eventually, by devoting oneself to the service of God, it will become clear that worship is both a waystation and a means. Devotional service is a waystation that leads to an end. In other words, the means to servitude is service—the means to esoteric truth is exoteric code. Within the esoteric truth, exotericism is found. Likewise, within the exoteric code, esotericism is found. However, when it comes to esotericism, the esoteric truth is more perceptible than exoteric code; whereas in the exoteric code exotericism is more perceptible than esoteric truth. Yet, the two are inseparable.

When we come to the phrase “It is You we serve,” devotional service is what is perceptible. Here, service and servitude are found. Yet, we are obscured from servitude by service. When we come to the phrase “and it is You we ask for help,” a feeling will dawn upon us that devotional service needs His help. At first it was a service from us to Him. We are servants and He is to be served—from us to Him. But eventually, when devotional service leads us into the spheres of Divine sagacity and certainty—when a considerable illuminating grace enters our hearts, we will realize that nothing emanates from us unless it emanates from God. At first, the service is from us to Him. When with certainty we thoroughly see the ultimate realities—when the ultimate realities dawn upon us, we will realize that even our worship emanates from Him to Him. If not for Him, we would not worship Him. In this way, servitude is ultimately more perceptible than service, as asserted in the verses: “and it is You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path. The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who are objects of anger or of those who are astray.” That is to say, the inner need to devote ourselves to worship has diminished. At first we are satisfied and happy with our practice of worship. Once we come to realize that God was behind all of that, the discernment of the good qualities of our work will diminish before the supremacy of Divine Grace. We will come to realize that our success—in performing the ritual ablution, praying, fasting, and even in our initial acts of adoration—is only by Divine Grace.

So, with respect to the meanings in “the Dual Seven”, which is Al Fatiha, the close meaning is service, while the distant meaning is servitude. In each of its verses there is service and servitude. At first, service is more perceptible than servitude. But, when we come to the phrase “and it is You we ask for help” and proceed to the end of the verse, the perception of devotional service diminishes. Still it is the meaning closer to us, but servitude becomes more perceptible. It is a distant meaning, in the sense that it cannot be reached right away, rather we have to seek the right means in order to arrive at it. The customary worship practices, represented in our physical movements and in the different acts we undertake as methods and ways of devotional service, are what yield in our hearts the state that places the perception of servitude before the perception of service. At that time, we will realize that the whole matter is due to Divine Grace, and there is not a thing that can emanate from us unless it emanates from God, not even devotional service.

Al Fatiha has been alluded to in the verse: “We have given you seven of the dual verses and the Grand Quran. Do not let your eyes roam over that which We cause some couples among them to enjoin, nor grieve over them, and be sensitive to the believers” (15:87-88). The phrase “We have given you seven of the dual verses” refers expressly to Al Fatiha. Al Fatiha is Al-Hamdu (the Praise) as well as “the Grand Quran.” So, the verse “We have given you seven of the dual verses and the Grand Quran” refers to Al Fatiha, which comprises seven verses. Among them is a verse that made Fatiha “the Mother of Scriptures” as well as “the opening chapter of the Quran” and because of it, the recitation of Al Fatiha is repeated in every prayer. A prayer is invalid without the recitation of the Praise. Without the recitation of the Praise, a prayer is invalid, unless there is a natural impediment to the worshiper’s recitation of Al Fatiha. That verse is: “The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who are objects of anger or of those who are astray.” The underlying secret of this verse is that it comprises straightness and monotheism. Straightness is between the two extremes. On one side are “those who are objects of anger,” and on the other side are “those who are astray.” These two extremes also comprise dual meanings. The close meaning is “those who are objects of anger,” while the distant meaning is “those who are astray.”

It is commonly held in the interpretations that “those who are objects of anger” are the Jews, and “those who are astray” are the Christians. The perception received of Jews is that they are closer to the side of materiality, while the received perception of Christians is that they are closer to the side of spirituality. That is to say, the Jews have gone too far in regards to materiality, while the Christians have gone too far in regards to spirituality. In other words, you can say that the Jews have neglected spirituality, while those who are astray, “the Christians,” in this sense have neglected materiality. So, there was no moderation among the two extremes. Here came the Moslem nation, as asserted in the verse: “Thus, We have made you an intermediate nation to be witnesses over mankind, and the Messenger to be a witness over you” (2:143). That is to say, We have made you an intermediate nation between the Jews and the Christians, between those who are negligent of spirituality and those who are negligent of materiality—“Thus, We have made you an intermediate nation.” This intermediate nation is along the line of equilibrium. That is why the preceding verse says: “Guide us to the straight path.”

The Quran refers to the straight path as “the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor,” which are the Moslems. This is because, in an address to Moslems, it is stated: “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and chosen for you Islam as your religion” (5:3). The phrase “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you” corresponds to the phrase “those upon whom You have bestowed favor.” Here, the straight path is “The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who are objects of anger or of those who are astray.” It represents the line of equilibrium that we mentioned in our review of the verse: “So stay straight, as you have been commanded and those who have repented with you, and do not transgress” (11:112). We said it was reported in the hadith that the Holy Prophet said: “Hud and chapters similar to it have made me gray-haired.” Some sages said, what made his hair turn gray, in Hud, is the commandment: “Stay straight, as you have been commanded” (11:112). Straightness almost occurs on an intermediate line that is sharper than a sword and thinner than a strand of hair. For one who exhibits superior straightness is one who has perceived this sharpness and thinness, and that fine line becomes broad and he/she can split the strand of hair and then split the split-hair, as she/he progresses to the absolute. Between these two extremes is the absolute. So, obeying the commandment “Stay straight, as you have been commanded” will be on a line that is of extraordinary fineness and produces of extraordinary exhaustion. It is like trying to catch the wind. In fact, it is on an equal level of “God bids you beware of His Self,” which is stated in the words of God: “Let not the believers take disbelievers as guardians in preference to believers. Whoever does that has nothing of the guardianship of God unless you securely guard yourselves against them. God bids you beware of His Self, as unto God is destiny. Say: Whether you hide that which is in your bosoms or reveal it, God knows it. He knows that which is in the heavens and that which is in the earth, and God is able to do all things. On the Day when every soul shall find in view all that it has done of good, it will wish that between itself and what it has done of evil was a far distance. God bids you beware of His Self, as God is full of pity for mankind” (3:28-30). Here, when God warns of what you know of His unlawful and lawful bounds, and that which is exoteric code, the matter will be or would be easy. Yet, if He warns you of His Self that you do not know, you are in grave danger. That is what caused the hair of the Great Prophet to turn gray, when he said: “Hud and chapters similar to it have made me gray-haired.”

In the verse: “Say: Whether you hide that which is in your bosoms or reveal it, God knows it,” the phrase “God knows it” means God will bring you to account for it. It corresponds to the verse: “Unto God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; and whether you make known what is in your minds or hide it, God will bring you to account for it. He will forgive whom He wills and He will punish whom He wills, for God is able to do all things” (2:284). That is because God’s knowledge is action. So, when He said, “God knows it,” He actually said, “God will bring you to account for it.” This matter, in itself, is more intricate than the exoteric code. As in the exoteric code there is no accountability for negative cognition (mind-thoughts). The Infallible said: “God has forgiven my followers their negative cognitions, as long as are not uttered or put into action.” Cognition occurs at two levels: the level of secret and the level of super secret, which is more hidden than the secret, and might even be unknown to its holder. The Quran expressly referred to the utterance of thoughts along with secret and super secret thoughts “that which is more hidden”: “Though you utter your thoughts, He knows that which is secret and that which is more hidden” (20:7). However, the verse “God bids you beware of His Self” went into a matter that is more momentous and subtler than the verse “Though you utter your thoughts, He knows that which is secret and that which is more hidden.” As if He went into the super secret. If not for the parenthesis “as God is full of pity for mankind,” this verse would have been cruel to the minds of sages. Leniency towards the hearts of sages is even evident in the preceding parenthesis, in the verse: “God bids you beware of His Self, as unto God is the destiny.” The parenthesis “as unto God is the destiny” is like good news to those who know that God is pure good—unadulterated by evils. One whose destiny was unto God is then destined for Absolute Good.

This takes us to the end of our seventh episode. We will resume the discussion of dual meanings in our eighth episode, God willing.