Flashes of Existence in the Lamaḥāt of Shāh Walī Allāh

Shāh Walī Allāh al-Dihlawī’s Lamaḥāt (or Al-Lamaḥāt) is a relatively short yet intellectually rich work written in Arabic. It is one of his lesser-known but highly significant contributions to Islamic metaphysics and philosophy. The term Lamaḥāt means “glimpses” or “flashes,” suggesting that the book provides brief insights into complex metaphysical realities.

This work falls within the genre of Islamic metaphysics, combining mysticism (taṣawwuf) with philosophical theology. It focuses on ontology (the nature of being), cosmology (the structure of the universe), and the nature of divine reality. It is strongly influenced by the thought of Ibn ʿArabī and other Sufi metaphysicians, but also tempered by Shāh Walī Allāh’s own reformist and scripturalist leanings.

Some of the key themes it explores are the level of existence (wujūd), wherein Shāh Walī Allāh delineates the various tiers of reality, from the Absolute Being (al-Ḥaqq, i.e., God) to the realms of spirits, imagination, and physical forms. He adopts the traditional Sufi cosmological structure:

• ʿĀlam al-Lāhūt(the world of divine essence)
• ʿĀlam al-Jabarūt(the world of divine power or archetypes)
• ʿĀlam al-Malakūt(the angelic world)
• ʿĀlam al-Shahāda(the world of sensory perception)

While affirming divine transcendence, Shah Wali Allah expresses a form of waḥdat al-wujūd (Unity of Being) that aligns more closely with Ibn ʿArabi’s ideas, albeit filtered through his rationalist and Sunni theological commitments. He articulates that all beings are dependent on the Necessary Being (God) and derive their existence from Him. Lamaḥāt further explores how God’s knowledge encompasses all things and how divine will operates within the unfolding of creation. The book explores the concept that the physical world is a manifestation of deeper spiritual realities and symbolic truths. It is essential to note that the Lamaḥāt forms part of his broader metaphysical corpus, alongside works such as Hujjat Allah al-Bāligha and Tafhīmāt al-Ilāhiyya. More importantly, it is heavily influenced by classical Islamic metaphysics but adapted to address the needs of a community in crisis — spiritually, politically, and intellectually. This relevance and connection to the community’s needs should be acknowledged.

Regrettably, Lamaḥāt is not widely studied today in comparison to his more practical or socio-political writings. However, Lamaḥāt represents Shah Wali Allah’s engagement with Islamic philosophy and spiritual metaphysics. Crucially, it serves as a bridge between Ibn ʿArabī’s complex metaphysical doctrines and mainstream Sunni theology. The role of Lamaḥāt in making such complex ideas more accessible and reconcilable with Islamic law and practice is a testament to its significance and should be appreciated.

The text has not been widely translated into English; however, parts of it have been discussed in academic studies, particularly those focusing on Shāh Walī Allāh’s thought (e.g., works by Marcia Hermansen, Ahmad Dallal and Muhammad U. Faruque.