The Days of Creation in the Thought of Nasir Khusraw

Keywords: al-Mu’ayyad fi’l-Din Shirazi, creation, ta’wil, Qa’im-i qiyamat, Sabbath, cycles of prophecy, Natiq, Asas, adhan, haqiqat, Universal Intellect, Universal Soul, Ramadan, wasi, hadd, tawhid, laylat al-qadr, qibla, rak‘at, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Jami‘ al-hikmatayn, Wajh-i Din, Gushayish wa Rahayish, Nasir Khusraw.

This article written by Dr Shafique N. Virani explores Nasir Khusraw's spiritual hermeneutic of the tradition concerning the completion of creation in six days, with the seventh day, or Sabbath, having a particularly hallowed aura of sanctity. It demonstrates that to Nasir Khusraw, this account of the genesis of the cosmos, shared by the Abrahamic faiths, does not concern the creation of the physical universe. Rather, the tradition refers to the genesis of a spiritual cosmos governed by God's emissaries.

This creation commenced with Adam, who represented the first day of the week, Sunday, and continued with Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, who represented Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively. The cycles of creation were brought to their completion by Muhammad, represented by Friday. Yet to come was the last and final day, which would consummate the entire spiritual creation.

This was the Sabbath, the cycle of the Lord of the Resurrection or Qa'im-i qiyamat. It is through the Lord of the Resurrection that the divine unity and grandeur of God would be revealed and the purpose of creation fulfilled.