Sulam Nurul Muttashil: The Ladder of Connected Light | Chapter I: The Meaning of Rebirth

Name: Sulam Nurul Muttashil: The Path of Connected Light
Author: Zainal Ibnu Zahr

CHAPTER I

THE MEANING OF REBIRTH

The Journey of the Soul's Evolution: From Womb to Womb

"The soul is a Divine trust. The womb is His place of protection. Not the source of creation, but a veil of love before it is breathed into the human body, until it journeys back to His Presence."

Introduction

In the spiritual cosmology of Sulam Nurul Muttashil (The Ladder of Connected Light), the phenomenon of "rebirth" is not reincarnation (tanasukh al-arwah) or the transmigration of the soul to another body. Rebirth is Vertical Consciousness Transmigration—the vertical ascent of consciousness towards unity with the attributes of Allah SWT.

The soul travels from Womb to Womb in a circular journey, carrying the remnants of spiritual amniotic fluid (essential inherited nourishment) from each previous phase. This amniotic fluid is not impurity to be purified, but permanent nourishment that perfects the soul—like an infant carrying the nourishment of its mother's womb at birth. What requires purification is only its attachment to the material world (ta'alluq bil-dunya).

The soul's journey begins and ends in the Realm of Wahdaniyah Light (the Light of Divine Oneness), descending through 4 Wombs (Mitsaq → Zahra → Biological Mother → Mother Earth), then ascending through 3 Wombs (Earth → Zahra → Wahdaniyah), with Barzakh as the intervening barrier separating worldly attachments.

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1. The First Womb: The Womb of the Primordial Covenant (Rahim al-Mitsaq / 'Alam al-Arwah) – The Departure Terminal

Before the physical body is assembled, the human soul is "born" in the Womb of Mitsaq—the departure terminal in the Realm of Wahdaniyah Light. This is the zero point of consciousness, where Allah gathered all souls and took the primordial covenant:

"Alastu bi-Rabbikum?"
"Am I not your Lord?"

This majestic event plants the Deep Memory (the Innate Consciousness of Fitrah)—the first spiritual amniotic fluid that becomes the eternal compass for every human being, guiding them back to their Origin.

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا

"And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam—from their loins—their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], 'Am I not your Lord?' They said, 'Yes, we have testified.'"

Source: Surah Al-A'raf (7):172

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ

"And We have certainly created you, [O mankind], and given you [human] form. Then We said to the angels, 'Prostrate to Adam.'"

Source: Surah Al-A'raf (7):11

Thus the soul departs from the departure terminal, embarking towards the phase of love's selection.

2. The Second Womb: The Womb of Divine Selection (Rahim al-Istifa) – The Light of Fatimah az-Zahra, The Feminine Aspect of the Muhammadan Light

After the Mitsaq covenant, the soul enters the Womb of Istifa (the Womb of Special Selection), sheltered by Nur az-Zahra—the manifestation of the feminine aspect of Ar-Rahman (The All-Merciful, the Nurturing One) from the Muhammadan Light (Nur Muhammad).

This phase blesses the soul with the second spiritual amniotic fluid: the nourishment of Divine love and the strength of light, empowering it to bear the responsibility of vicegerent (khalifah) in a world replete with trials.

فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّي، فَمَنْ أَغْضَبَهَا فَقَدْ أَغْضَبَنِي

"Fatimah is a part of me (my light); whoever angers her has indeed angered me."

Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari: 3714; Sahih Muslim: 2449

وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ

"And My mercy encompasses all things."

Source: Surah Al-A'raf (7):156

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ

"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp."

Source: Surah An-Nur (24):35

The soul now carries the nourishment of Nur az-Zahra, prepared to enter the physical womb.

3. The Third Womb: The Womb of the Biological Mother (Rahim al-Umm / 'Alam al-Ajinnah)

The soul is breathed into the fetus, marking the sacred meeting between Divine light and earthly clay. The biological womb provides physical amniotic fluid (the third nourishment) that permanently attaches as the bond of Ar-Rahman—a physical manifestation of Divine mercy.

Here, the soul experiences a contraction of consciousness to comply with physical laws—the beginning of the test of "forgetting and remembering" (nisyan wa dhikr) leading towards the activation of Deep Memory.

هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِي الْأَرْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

"It is He who forms you in the wombs however He wills. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise."

Source: Surah Ali 'Imran (3):6

ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِهِ ۖ فَأَعْطَاكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَا تَشْكُرُونَ

"Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from His [created] soul and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful."

Source: Surah As-Sajdah (32):9

الرَّحِمُ شِجْنَةٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَٰنِ، فَمَنْ وَصَلَهَا وَصَلَهُ، وَمَنْ قَطَعَهَا قَطَعَهُ

"The womb [relationship] is a branch of Ar-Rahman. Whoever connects it, Allah connects him; whoever severs it, Allah severs him."

Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari: 5988

4. The Fourth Womb: The Womb of Mother Earth (Rahim al-Ard / 'Alam ash-Shahadah)

Earth is the Single External Womb that envelops the existence of the human body, providing the fourth amniotic fluid in the form of worldly material attachments that permanently adhere as part of the test.

The soul now carries four layers of sacred nourishment:
Deep Memory (Mitsaq) – the compass of primordial fitrah
Light of Zahra (Istifa) – the nourishment of Divine love
Mother's amniotic fluid (Biological womb) – the bond of Ar-Rahman
Earthly attachment (Shahadah) – the material of trial

The Qalb (Spiritual Heart) is the Internal Womb within Mother Earth—the condensation center of these four sacred nourishments. Here, the Deep Memory from Mitsaq is activated through dhikr (remembrance) to recall the soul's Divine origin.

مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ

"From the earth We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will extract you another time."

Source: Surah Taha (20):55

وَإِذَا مَسَّ الْإِنْسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنْبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَائِمًا ۖ فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَنْ لَمْ يَدْعُنَا إِلَىٰ ضُرٍّ مَسَّهُ

"And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side, sitting, or standing; but when We remove his adversity, he continues as if he had never called upon Us to remove the adversity that touched him."

Source: Surah Yunus (10):12

اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَحْمِلُ كُلُّ أُنثَىٰ وَمَا تَغِيضُ الْأَرْحَامُ وَمَا تَزْدَادُ ۚ وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ عِندَهُ بِمِقْدَارٍ

"Allah knows what every female carries and what the wombs lose or exceed. And everything with Him is by due measure."

Source: Surah Ar-Ra'd (13):8

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ الصَّادِقُ الْمَصْدُوقُ: "إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ يُجْمَعُ خَلْقُهُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا نُطْفَةً، ثُمَّ يَكُونُ عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ يُرْسَلُ إِلَيْهِ الْمَلَكُ فَيَنْفُخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحَ..."

"From Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ—the truthful and believed—said: 'Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother's womb for forty days as a drop of fluid, then it becomes a clot for a similar period, then a lump of flesh for a similar period, then an angel is sent to him and breathes the soul into him...'"

Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari: 3332; Sahih Muslim: 2643

5. Barzakh: The Interspace – Waiting Room Towards Purification

Physical death severs the attachment to Mother Earth. Barzakh (the Interspace) is not a womb and not a purifier—but a separating barrier, a waiting room where the soul awaits the process of purification from the worldly attachments that have enveloped its four sacred nourishments.

وَمِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ

"And before them is a barrier (Barzakh) until the Day they are resurrected."

Source: Surah Al-Mu'minun (23):100

6. The Transition Womb: The Womb of the Light of Fatimah az-Zahra (The Reality of Al-Kautsar)

From Barzakh, the soul enters the Womb of Nur az-Zahra for absolute purification. Here, the soul drinks from the waters of Al-Kautsar (the Abundant Good)—the fifth spiritual amniotic fluid, which serves as the purification apparatus within the Womb of az-Zahra, cleansing worldly attachments while preserving the previous four nourishments as a blessing towards Jannah.

إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ ۝ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ۝ إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ

"Indeed, We have granted you Al-Kautsar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off."

Source: Surah Al-Kautsar (108):1-3

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا

"Allah intends only to remove impurity from you, O People of the House, and to purify you with thorough purification."

Source: Surah Al-Ahzab (33):33

7. The Final Womb: The Womb of the Light of Divine Oneness (Rahim Nur al-Wahdaniyah / Al-Fana' wa al-Baqa')

The final terminal of the soul's journey is the return to the Womb of Wahdaniyah Light—the destination terminal containing Jannah (Paradise). The servant's ego dissolves (fana') in the unity of Divine attributes, leaving only the Face of Allah that remains (Baqa').

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

"Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."

Source: Surah Al-Baqarah (2):156

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ۖ ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً ۝ فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي ۝ وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

"O reassured soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing. And enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise."

Source: Surah Al-Fajr (89):27-30

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رَشْحَةُ الْبَابِ الأَوَّلِ

(The Essence of the First Chapter)

The soul's journey is a love story between the servant and his Creator.
It begins in the Womb of the Primordial Covenant, where the soul testifies in His Presence.
Then passes through the Womb of Fatimah az-Zahra, blessed with the light of Divine love.
Then descends to the Womb of the Biological Mother, feeling the warmth of mercy enveloping the body.
Then to the Womb of Mother Earth, where it is tested with worldly attachments.

When the time comes to return, Barzakh awaits—a silent interspace between two realms.
The soul then returns to the Womb of az-Zahra to be purified with the waters of Al-Kautsar.
Until finally it arrives at the Womb of Divine Oneness, united in the Light that knows no end.

At every station, the soul carries provisions—
Deep Memory from the Primordial Covenant,
The Light of Fatimah that illuminates,
The mother's bond that never breaks,
and the traces of earth that become the test.

The Spiritual Heart (Qalb) is the internal womb within the womb of earth.
There, the soul remembers its origin,
and returns before death—
by purifying attachments,
and tasting Al-Kautsar in this world,
as provision towards the Womb of Divine Oneness.

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These seven wombs are not merely resting places.
They are a journey of love—
from Allah,
with Allah,
towards Allah.

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Conclusion of Chapter I: Return Before Death

"Return Before Death" (al-rajū' qabla al-mawt)—purifying worldly attachments within the Qalb (the Internal Womb) through dhikr (remembrance), so that the soul tastes Al-Kautsar and the Womb of Wahdaniyah Light while still on earth.

This is the true rebirth: from the darkness of heedlessness (ghaflah) to the light of eternal consciousness, with spiritual protection from the trinity of mothers:
Nur az-Zahra → the feminine, nurturing aspect of the Muhammadan Light
The Biological Mother → the physical womb of mercy
Mother Earth (Umm al-Ard) → the womb of worldly trial

Supporting Evidence: The Hadith on the Mother

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَنْ أَحَقُّ النَّاسِ بِحُسْنِ صَحَابَتِي؟ قَالَ: أُمُّكَ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ مَنْ؟ قَالَ: أُمُّكَ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ مَنْ؟ قَالَ: أُمُّكَ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ مَنْ؟ قَالَ: أَبُوكَ

"From Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, who among people is most deserving of my good companionship?' He said: 'Your mother.' He asked: 'Then who?' He said: 'Your mother.' He asked: 'Then who?' He said: 'Your mother.' He asked: 'Then who?' He said: 'Your father.'"

Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari: 5971; Sahih Muslim: 2548

This sacred hadith emphasizes that the primary protection and honor for the human soul in this world begins with the mother—the source of love, nurturing, and the initial connector of spiritual consciousness. The repetition of "your mother" three times reveals the supreme station of the mother's womb in the spiritual journey of humanity.

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