KNOWING ALLÂHU TA'ÂLÂ, KASHF, KARÂMA

Imâm Muhammad Ma’sûm (rahimah-Allâhu ta’âlâ), a great scholar of Islam and a source of karâmât and a leading walî, who passed away in Sirhind, India, in 1079 A.H. (1668), wrote:

“Knowing Allâhu ta’âlâ is more valuable than possessing kashf and karâma, because being an ’ârif of Allâhu ta’âlâ is the comprehension of the secret knowledge about His Person and Attributes. As for marvels and karâmât, they manifest secret knowledge about creatures. The difference between obtaining ma’rifa by knowing Allâhu ta’âlâ and a marvel or karâma is like the difference between the Creator and the creature. Ma’rifa is to know Allâhu ta’âlâ, whereas a marvel and karâma consists of understanding creatures. True ma’ârif strengthen and mature îmân. Marvels and karâmât cannot do so. The progress of a man does not depend on karâmât. Yet it is true that karâmât have been witnessed from most of the beloved servants of Allâhu ta’âlâ. The superiority of awliyâ’ to one another is to be measured not with their karâmât but with regard to their spiritual qurb and ma’ârif towards Allâhu ta’âlâ. If marvels and karâmât were more valuable than ma’ârif, then the Indian priests called Jukiyya (Yogis) and Brahmins would have to be superior to awliyâ’. Because they undertake austerities (riyâdât) and go against what the nafs’s wishes, they obtain marvels; as for awliyâ’, qurb and ma’ârif have been granted, and they do not want marvels. They do not want the knowledge about creatures while there is the virtue of knowing Allâhu ta’âlâ. Marvels or miracles may be displayed by any person who undertakes hunger and austerities. They have nothing to do with being qarîb (close) to Allâhu ta’âlâ or with knowing Allâhu ta’âlâ. A desire for kashf and karâma is a desire to keep oneself busy with creatures.