Question:
In Sunnah.org, according to Ibn `Arabi one of Khidr’s sayings to Sahl at-Tustari (q) was:
Allah created the Light of Muhammad from His Light… This Light stayed before Allah for 100,000 years. Allah directed His Gaze upon it 70,000 times every day and night, adding to it a new light from His Light every time. Then, from that Light, He created all creations.
Please could you explain what ‘Aathaar‘ means and how the above statements relate to Khidr in Aathaar. Do pardon my ignorance. Salaams to the noble teachers and everyone.
Answer:
Alaykum Salam,
Aathaar is the plural of athar, an Arabic word that means lexically “trace, vestige, remnant” and conventionally “transmitted report,” generally other than hadith. Since this is narrated from Sahl al-Tustari, it is a transmitted athar.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
