Tay al-Ard

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Tay al-Ard (طی الارض or طيّ الارض or طیّ الارض - literally "folding up of the earth") is the name for thaumaturgical teleportation in the Islamic religious and philosophical tradition. Reynold A. Nicholson uses the words "Telekinesis" and "flying" when describing such keramat (miracles).[1] The concept has been expressed as "traversing the earth without moving"; some have termed it "moving by the earth being displaced under one's feet". It is a concept widely familiar to the Sunnis, Shias and Sufis, each group having a different interpretation on it. This concept has been around for centuries, and was in debate, long before its modern western contemporary counterparts surfaced in scientific and science fiction movies and circles.

[edit] Definition

The dictionary of Dehkhoda defines Tay al-Ard as:

"نوعی کرامت که بجای گام برداشتن و رفتن, زمین در زیر پای آدمی بتندی پیچیده شود و او به مقصد خویش هر چند دور باشد در مدتی بسیار کم رسد" (Persian)
A type of keramat in which instead of moving toward a destination by taking a step forward, the earth turns toward the traverser rapidly, no matter how far the destination be."

Ibn al-Nadim defines it exactly the same way when he says:

"و یذکر ان الارض تطوی له (میمون القداح) فیمضی الی این احب فی اقرب مده" (Arabic)

The concept of tei al-ardh has its roots in the following verses of the Chapter al-Naml of the Quran:

27:38: "Solomon said (to his own men): "Ye Chiefs! which of you can bring me the throne of Queen of Sheba before she and her envoys come to me in submission?""
27:39: "Said an 'Ifrit, of the Jinns: "I will bring it to thee before thou rise from thy council: indeed I have full strength for the purpose, and may be trusted.""
27:40: "Said one who had knowledge of the Book: "I will bring it to thee within the twinkling of any eye!" Then when (Solomon) saw it placed firmly before him, he said: "This is by the grace of my Lord!"..."

In these verses, Quranic interpreters unanimously agree that the "one" referred to is a human: one of Solomon's trusted aides by the name of Asif ibn al-Birkhia (آصف ابن برخیا). The point being that he is a human, not a jinn, that has mastered "the knowledge of the book" by his effort and free will (al-Iktisab اکتساب). The phrase "twinkling of an eye" is translated to mean in a very very short time, i.e. almost instantaneously.

According to these verses, the non-prophet Asif ibn al-Birkhia transports the throne of Queen Sheba almost instantaneously. A hadith by Ja'far al-Sadiq also confirms that Solomon transports the throne by Tay al-Ard in specific. [2]

[edit] History

Famous Sheikhs, Imams, and prominent figures in Islam such as Abusaeid Abolkheir [3] or Rumi [4] or Al-Khidr [5] for example, were believed to possess keramat, and writings from medieval Islam are full of stories and reports of certain individuals possessing such a trait. For example, Idries Shah and Robert Graves mention the case where senior members of the Azimia order were "reputed to appear, like many of the ancient Sheikhs at different places at one and the same time".[6] Many other examples can be found in Attar's Tadhkirat al-Awliya (Biographies of the Saints), or the works of Ibn Arabi, as well as other similar chronicles. However, no one for sure has known the number and identity of all those who possess such knowledge, since according to Hujviri, those who hold such knowledge "do not know one another, and are not aware of the other's state of excellence, and are hidden from themselves and from mankind."[7]

One of the most discussed phenomena of this esoteric knowledge is the event of traveling without actually moving (طی الارض). Islamic texts and records are full of such accounts from various era. For example, Bayazid Bastami has many such accounts, colored with mystical flavors, surrounding his life. In one account, he was asked, "They say you walk on water?" "A piece of wood can do that too" he replied. "They say you travel to Mecca at night and return by dawn?" he was asked. "But a bird at flight can do that too" was his answer. "So what is the meaning of being human?" he was asked. "A human is he who does not fasten his heart to anything but God" came his reply. [8] In all such and similar accounts, a certain individual of unusually high rank (a Sheikh, Pir, or Imam) is seen to have the ability to travel long distances in almost instantaneous amounts of time.

[edit] Views

[edit] Muslim view

Muslims argue that the fact that Asif ibn al-Birkhia is not a prophet (which are equipped with God given miracles), but rather is a man that has learned a certain knowledge, has led to what is referred to as keramat (کرامت or کرامات). Muslims view Keramāt (pl.) as special esoteric powers ordained to a few certain number of individuals, by the will of God, which are on the same level of miracles in terms of type of phenomena, but existing for a different purpose.

Being an esoteric knowledge by nature, it is not known how exactly it takes place, but theories and explanations have been abound. The most prevalent theory has to do with the concept of consciousness and will (اراده). The person wills to be some place, and he is then simply there an instant later. This view can perhaps be understood from the perspective of western philosophical idealism, where esse est percipi: if space does not have an objective reality, and reality itself is thought of as observer based and a subjective entity [9], then ideas such as moving in space without actually physically moving are no longer unchartered possibilities.

Similarities and parallels between the modern notion of teleportation and Tai ul-ardh are not difficult to come across. In a report to the United States Air Force (dubbed: AFRL-PR-ED-TR-2003-0034) in 2004, Eric W. Davis, Ph.D., recommended the study of p-Teleportation, Which he defined as:

"the conveyance of persons or inanimate objects by psychic means."

A precise definition of Tai al-Ardh has been offered by Allama Qadhi, one of the masters of Allameh Tabatabaei:

اعدام جسم و بدن در مكان اوّل، و احضار و ايجادش در مكان مقصود (Persian)
"the ceasing and termination of matter in the initial location, and its appearance and re-creation in its final location (destination)"[10]

Other explanations offered are mystical in nature. A hadith by Muhammad al-Baqir e.g. is narrated in which he attributes the aforementioned esoteric knowledge of Asif ibn Birkhia to the Asma 'ullah or the "names of God", another widely discussed topic in Islamic philosophy and mysticism and even kabbalah:

"اسم اعظم خداوند، هفتاد و سه حرف است. آصف بن برخیا فقط یکی از آن حروف را میدانست که توانست زمین را درهم نوردد و قبل از یک چشم بر هم زدن، تخت بلیقس را از سرزمین سبا نزد سلیمان حاضر سازد؛ و ما ائمّه معصومین هفتاد و دو حرف از آن را میدانیم. یک حرف را هم خداوند به خودش اختصاص داده و تنها نزد اوست" (Persian)
"The Almighty's greatest name has 73 letters (or parts). Asif ibn Birkhia knew only one letter of it, which enabled him to traverse the earth in the blink of an eye. We Shia Imams however possess 72 of them. And the last letter is concealed from all creation and remains a secret to only the Almighty Himself."[11]

In addition, the jinn are believed to possess this knowledge of transportation, however in a limited amount, as is evident again from the aforementioned Quranic verses.

[edit] Shi'a view

Shi'a use the concept in the above Qur'anic verse in Shi'a-Sunni argumentations when accusations of over-meriting the Shi'a Imams are made. It is argued that if a non-prophet could teleport the throne, then it should present no theological objections against the belief that a Shi'a Imams, such as Ali, might be able to do the same [12]. Or Imam Mahdi, is widely believed to have a wide arsenal of keramat including this concept , at his disposal. [13] 301 of Mahdi's believed 313 companions also are believed to have the knowledge of this concept.

In the Shia academia, this concept is a topic that can be seen widely studied by the likes of Ayatollah Marashi Najafi, Allameh Tabatabaei, Mulla Sadra, and the likes.

[edit] Sufi view

Some Sufis call the concept tay al-makan ("folding of space"), the word "makan" (location) being used as a synonym for the word "ardh" (earth). Both words are Arabic in origin, and both words are part of the Persian lexicon as well.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam. 2002. ISBN 0-941532-48-8 p.99, 103
  2. ^ Molavi-nia, M. Javad. Tarikh-i Anbiya (تاریخ انبیا). ISBN 964-7447-30-2, 2002. p.268
  3. ^ See: Asrar al-Tawhid ISBN 964-6290-67-1 p.99
  4. ^ Zarrinkoub, A., Pelle pelle ta molaqat-i Khoda (پله پله تا ملاقات خدا), ISBN 964-5524-32-6 Entesharat-i Elmi Publications. 2001. p.286
  5. ^ Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam. 2002. ISBN 0-941532-48-8 p.92
  6. ^ Idries Shah and Robert Graves, The Sufis. 1971. ISBN 0-385-07966-4 p.372
  7. ^ Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam. 2002. ISBN 0-941532-48-8 p.89
  8. ^ Risalah Qashiriyah (رساله قشیریه), bab 53. p.650
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ [2]
  11. ^ [3]
  12. ^ See:manuscript on the Tei al-ardh abilities of Ali
  13. ^ See: Keramāt of al-Mahdi (کرامات المهدي), Jamkaran mosque publications, 2003 ISBN 964-6705-15-4

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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