A Mirror of Underworld
There is a part in the story of vampire in which the living when they interacted with the vampire species, they won't be able to see their image in the mirror. Because in reality they're considered not existed. In the film of Van Helsing, there was a scene where Anna was dancing with nothing as seen in the mirror, but what she experienced was that she danced with Count of Dracula. Though it's just a fiction, a work of the mind with its fantasy, it was then raised a question of which one is real and which one isn't. One that can be seen in the mirror or the one that can't be seen in the mirror? And further question is then what is real and what isn't?
In the story of Dracula what differentiate the two species is: one is considered having life and the other isn't. Yet, the unique ideas of the story is that the one without life is the one that is considered to be eternal. Because they had been through death before and alive in different realm. And the unique tool to measure whether one is real human or an unreal human - called Dracula - is a mirror.
A Mirror of Death
NARKISSOS (or Narcissus) was a young man from the town of Thespiai in Boiotia, a son of the river-god Kephisos and the fountain-nymph Liriope. He was celebrated for his beauty, and attracted many admirers but, in his arrogance, spurned them all. The suffering of two, however, brought down upon him a deadly curse. First there was the nymphe Ekho--a girl cursed by Hera to repeat only the last words of what was said before. When she was rejected by the boy, Ekho faded away in her despair leaving nothing behind but the haunting voice of her echo.
The other admirer was the youth Ameinias who became distraught when Narkissos cruelly spurned him and slew himself before his door, calling on the goddess Nemesis to avenge him. His prayer was quickly answered, when Narkissos fell in love with his own image reflected in a pool. Gazing endlessly at the reflection, he slowly pined away and was transformed by the nymphs into a narcissus flower. Others, however, say he was filled with despair and remorse and killed himself beside the pool. From his dying life's blood the flower was born.
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| the mirror become the cause of his death |
Here gazing into the mirror had become a way to bring death to Narciscus. He merely looked to the mortal - his physical being. He couldn't see beyond the image that was reflected in the mirror. His arrogance had blinded him to see the other aspect of his being alive.
A Mirror of Sya'ban
There is one exemplary virtue showed by the great Prophet Muhammad SAW that is when we look at our appearance in the mirror we are taught to recite a prayer "
Allohumma kamaa hasanta kholqin fa hassin khuluqi" which means "O Allah, just as You have made my external features beautiful, make my character beautiful as well." I have known about this for quite long time and practiced it on occasion.
But then when my great spiritual master taught us to perform it in particular time in the month of last Sya'ban - the eighth month in Islamic calendar, something within became fascinated. Why it had to be done in such particular day and time? Why did he tell us to do it in the month of Sya'ban? What is the significance of doing it? These question raised in my mind. And I seek the answer within to find its significance to myself.
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" O Allah, just as You have made my external features beautiful,
make my character beautiful as well." |
According to a Muslim Sufi
Yahya bin Mu'az, Sya'ban that consisted of five letters they're
syin,
'ain,
ba',
alif and
nun has its significance. For the letter
syin derived from the word
syarafatun or
syafa'atun which means preciousness and blessing. The letter '
ain is derived from the word
al 'izzah wa karomah which means the victory and excellence. The letter
ba' is derived from the word
al birru which means the goodness. The letter
alif is derived from
ulfaa which means mercy and the letter
nun is derived from the word
nuur which means the light. So if
Rajab is the month of purifying the body,
Sya'ban is the month of purifying the heart then
Ramadhan is the month of purifying the soul. (source: Durrotun Nasihiin).
The prophet Muhammad SAW said that the month of Sya'ban was his month and that he fasted meritorious fasting more in the month of Sya'ban should tell us - as a Muslim something. For his action is full of knowledge and wisdom. As narrated by Aisha RA that Sya'ban
"
is among the months that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s) loves very much and that is the month of Sya'ban”. The importance of Sya'ban to Muslim in following the best example of the great prophet Muhammad SAW you can read it
here.
And back to the virtue of gazing in the mirror while reciting the prayer, so what is its significance? I found the answer - at least that's what my heart told me in the story by
Faridduddin Attar.
Looking into the image in the mirror isn't just about looking into our physical form but rather looking deeper into the soul that gives the physical form ability to be alive, to have sight and be able to see and to appreciate the beauty that is reflected in the mirror. The act of looking into the mirror is no longer a narcissistic type of act but a form of worship to the Ever Living Soul (
Ar Ruuh).
A Mirror of Inner World
A unique story on mirror is given in the story of Mantiquth Thair (Conference of the Birds) by Faridduddin Attar in which when only several birds left in the journey of finding the Simurgh. Who is Simurgh and Where does Simurgh reside?
...
The other birds protest and the hoopoe tells them of their relationship with the Simorgh
The other birds in turn received their chance to show off their loquacious ignorance. All made excuses – floods of foolish words flowed from these babbling, rumour-loving birds. Forgive me, reader, if I do not say all these excuses to avoid the Way; but in an incoherent rush they came, and all were inappropriate and lame.
How could they gain the Simorgh? Such a goal belongs to those who discipline the soul.
The hoopoe counselled them: “The world holds few as worthy of the Simorgh’s throne as you, but you must empty this first glass; the wine that follows it is love’s devoted sign. If petty problems keep you back -- or none -- how will you seek the treasures of the sun? In drops you lose yourselves, yet you must dive through untold fathoms and remain alive.This is no journey for the indolent -- our quest is Truth itself, not just its scent!”
When they had understood the hoopoe’s words, a clamour of complaint rose from the birds: “Although we recognize you as our guide, you must accept -- it cannot be denied -- We are a wretched, flimsy crew at best, and lack the bare essentials for this quest. Our feathers and our wings, our bodies’ strength are quite unequal to the journey’s length; For one of us to reach the Simorgh’s throne would be miraculous, a thing unknown. At least say what relationship obtains between His might and ours; who can take pains to search for mysteries when he is blind? If there were some connection we could find, We would be more prepared to take our chance. He seems like Solomon, and we like ants; How can mere ants climb from their darkened pit up to the Simorgh’s realm? And is it fit that beggars try the glory of a king? How ever could they manage such a thing?”
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They begin a new life in the Simurgh and contemplate the inner world. Simurgh,
it turns out, means thirty birds; but if forty or fifty had arrived, it would be the same |
The hoopoe answered them: “How can love thrive in hearts impoverished and half alive? ‘Beggars’, you say -- such niggling poverty will not encourage truth or charity. An man whose eyes love opens risks his soul -- his dancing breaks beyond the mind’s control when long ago the Simorgh first appeared -- his face like sunlight when the clouds have cleared -- he cast unnumbered shadows on the earth, on each one fixed his eyes, and each gave birth.
Thus we were born; the birds of every land are still his shadows -- think, and understand. If you had known this secret you would see the link between yourselves and Majesty; do not reveal this truth, and God forfend that you mistake for God Himself God’s friend. If you become that substance I propound, you are not God, though in God you are drowned; those lost in Him are not the Deity -- this problem can be argued endlessly.
You are His shadow, and cannot be moved by thoughts of life or death once this is proved. If He had kept His majesty concealed, no earthly shadow would have been revealed, and where that shadow was directly cast the race of birds sprang up before it passed. Your heart is not a mirror bright and clear if there the Simorgh’s for does not appear; no one can bear His beauty face to face, and for this reason, of His perfect grace, he makes a mirror in our hearts -- look there to see Him, search your hearts with anxious care.
....
The journey of the birds takes them through the seven valleys of the quest, love, understanding, independence and detachment, unity, astonishment, and finally poverty and nothingness. In the valley of the quest one undergoes a hundred difficulties and trials.
After one has been tested and become free, one learns in the valley of love that love has nothing to do with reason. The valley of understanding teaches that knowledge is temporary, but understanding endures. Overcoming faults and weaknesses brings the seeker closer to the goal. In the valley of independence and detachment one has no desire to possess nor any wish to discover. To cross this difficult valley one must be roused from apathy to renounce inner and outer attachments so that one can become self-sufficient.
In the valley of unity the Hoopoe announces that although you may see many beings, in reality there is only one, which is complete in its unity. As long as you are separate, good and evil will arise; but when you lose yourself in the divine essence, they will be transcended by love. When unity is achieved, one forgets all and forgets oneself in the valley of astonishment and bewilderment.
The Hoopoe declares that the last valley of deprivation and death is almost impossible to describe. In the immensity of the divine ocean the pattern of the present world and the future world dissolves. As you realize that the individual self does not really exist, the drop becomes part of the great ocean forever in peace. The analogy of moths seeking the flame is used.
Out of thousands of birds only thirty reach the end of the journey. When the light of lights is manifested and they are in peace, they become aware that the Simurgh is them. They begin a new life in the Simurgh and contemplate the inner world. Simurgh, it turns out, means thirty birds; but if forty or fifty had arrived, it would be the same. By annihilating themselves gloriously in the Simurgh they find themselves in joy, learn the secrets, and receive immortality. So long as you do not realize your nothingness and do not renounce your self-pride, vanity, and self-love, you will not reach the heights of immortality.'
Attar concluded the epilog with the admonition that if you wish to find the ocean of your soul, then die to all your old life and then keep silent.
In gazing in the mirror, I witnessed sincerely that "Asyhadu an laa ilaaha illa Allah wa asyhadu anna Muhammadar Rasuulullah" - There is no God but Allah and indeed Muhammad is the His messenger.
