Tay al-Ard
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| The [Neutral point of view>neutrality] of this article is [NPOV disputedisputed]. Please see the discussion on the [thaumaturgical teleportation in the Islamic religious and philosophical tradition. Reynold A. Nicholson uses the words "Telekinesis" and "flying" when describing such keramat (miracles).Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam. 2002. ISBN 0941532488 p.99, 103 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 western contemporary counterparts surfaced in scientific and science fiction movies and circles.
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DefinitionThe dictionary of Dehkhoda defines Tay al-Ard as:
Ibn al-Nadim defines it exactly the same way when he says:
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. Molavi-nia, M. Javad. Tarikh-i Anbiya (تاریخ انبیا). ISBN 964-7447-30-2 2002. p.268 HistoryFamous Sheikhs, Imams, and prominent figures in Islam such as Abusaeid Abolkheir See: Asrar al-Tawhid ISBN 964-6290-67-1 p.99 or Rumi 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 or Al-Khidr Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam. 2002. ISBN 0941532488 p.92 for example, were believed to possess keramat, and writings from medieval Islam are full of stories and reports of certain individuals possesing 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".Idries Shah and Robert Graves, The Sufis. 1971. ISBN 0385079664 p.372 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."Reynold A. Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam. 2002. ISBN 0941532488 p.89One 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. Risalah Qashiriyah (رساله قشیریه), bab 53. p.650 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. ViewsMuslim viewMuslims 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 that Keramāt (pl.) are special esoteric powers ordained to a certain number of individuals (only a few per every few generations), by the will of God possess, 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 [link], 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:
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. Shi'a viewShi'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 belife that a Shi'a Imams, such as Ali, might be able to do the same See:[manuscript on the Tei al-ardh abilities of Ali]. Or Imam Mahdi, is widely believed to have a wide arsenal of keramat including this concept , at his disposal. See: Keramāt of al-Mahdi (کرامات المهدي), Jamkaran mosque publications, 2003 ISBN 964-6705-15-4 301 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, Mullasadra, and the likes. Sufi viewSome 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.
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