Hidden deep within the records of Islamic mysticism lies a text long shrouded in secrecy: Al-Haft Al-Shareef. Written by Mufaddal ibn Omar, a close companion of Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq, the book records conversations between himself and his master, delving into esoteric knowledge that goes beyond mainstream Islamic thought. It was written in the 8th century BC and yet, for hundreds of years Al-Haft Al-Shareef remained largely ignored by Islamic scholars, dismissed as heretical or inaccurate.
But its secrecy and lack of recognition in mainstream Islamic circles appear to be intentional. Throughout the manuscript, great importance is placed on the need to safeguard the knowledge shared by Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq. Imam Al-Sadiq emphasizes that the wisdom Al-Haft Al-Shareef contains is not meant for everyone. It is entrusted to Mufaddal, one of his closest companions, and reserved only for those who are true believers like him. Much of what is shared is highly controversial and therefore meant to be kept from those whose faith in God and his messengers is weak.
After centuries, the manuscript recently resurfaced, brought to light by Aba Al-Sadiq Abdullah Hashem through his YouTube series, TADS. His English translation of a manuscript that only existed in Arabic before, revived this long forgotten dialog, making the gnostic secrets contained in it available to an international audience.
The manuscript delves into concepts such as reincarnation in Islam, the karmic justice of the universe and the creation of the souls— ideas that challenge and expand conventional Islamic theology.
The last paragraph of Al-Haft Al-Shareef reads:
"The book is called ‘Al Haft Al Shareef’ because it is the news of the beginning of creation and how its origins were, and about its end and how He detailed it and transferred the selves from condition to condition for the purpose of guidance. The end, and peace is the end."
Al-Haft Al-Shareef is a deeply spiritual manuscript. It offers a different understanding and view of the world to the reader. It speaks of an eternal battle between good and evil, where those created from light are in constant struggle with those made from darkness. All that is good comes from the children of light, the believers, while all that is bad originates from the children of darkness, the disbelievers.
“And everything that you see or hear or smell and has a good taste and a nice scent or soft touch, or food or drink, then that is from what disintegrated from the bodies of the believers. And everything opposite to that of the stinky and sour and unpleasant and all that humans hate to smell or look at or taste or touch in all conditions, that is from what disintegrates from the bodies of the disbelievers.” (Al-Haft Al-Shareef)
The Soul’s Journey
Perhaps the most striking teaching in Al-Haft Al-Shareef is its discussion of reincarnation, a belief foreign to mainstream Islam yet deeply embedded in the manuscript. Imam Al-Sadiq, as quoted by Mufaddal, explains that souls undergo cycles of rebirth, moving through many lifetimes in different forms—both human and animal. Each cycle of birth, death, and rebirth offers the soul a chance to grow, cleanse itself, and draw closer to its divine origin. But it is also an opportunity for the unrighteous to descend deeper and deeper into darkness.
Al-Haft Al-Shareef does not only introduce the concept of reincarnation to Islamic thought, but it also reveals how the Quran contains verses that clearly point to the concept.
“Say: Travel through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later creation: for Allah has power over all things.” (29:20-21)
Imam Al-Sadiq interprets this verse as evidence of the cyclical nature of creation and rebirth.
Punishment and mercy, he teaches, manifest through repeated incarnations until the soul ultimately returns to God. The life a soul lives in each reincarnation reflects the deeds of its past. Those wronged in previous lives will see justice unfold in future ones, where the oppressors, even reborn as animals, face the consequences of their actions.
“He brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living.” (10:31)
This is one of the verses that according to Al-Haft Al-Shareef, refers to reincarnation - particularly the reincarnation of a soul from a human body into an animal body. The text explains that humans who act unrighteously and do not submit to God, go through cycles of what is called Maskh or reincarnation in animal bodies.
“We have indeed created man in the best of molds. Then do We return him (to be) the lowest of the low.” (95:4-5)
Al-Haft Al-Shareef details many different forms of Maskhs and describes in explicit detail a system of reincarnation into animal bodies. The most unrighteous of people are said to reincarnate as animals that are halal (permissible for consumption), such as sheep, cows, and camels. In these forms, they face a dual punishment. They are slaughtered by the enemies of God, who use them for selfish purposes, and are also sacrificed by believers during sacred rituals and holidays. With every death and slaughter they receive punishments for their sins.
Al-Haft Al-Shareef unveils a hidden layer of Islam, one that goes beyond mechanical interpretations of the mainstream. It whispers of mystical truths that have been lost over time, truths that many scholars dismissed because they could not understand them.
These teachings bridge Islam to other faiths that may seem unrelated, like Hinduism, yet in reality share the same divine source.
Like Al-Haft Al-Shareef, the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita also speaks of souls being reborn as animals if they are weighed down by ignorance or wrongdoing. In the Gita, Krishna says:
“Those who die in the mode of passion are born among those engaged in fruitive activities; and those dying in the mode of ignorance are born in the animal kingdom.” (Chapter 14, Verse 15)
The Stars
But what do the reincarnating souls look like?
Throughout history, humanity has gazed at the stars and planets, not merely as celestial bodies but as spiritual entities. In light of this, one of the mystical chapters of Al-Haft Al-Shareef teaches that the souls of believers are in fact the stars and planets in the sky. When Mufaddal asked Imam Al-Sadiq about the piercing stars in the sky, the Imam revealed:
“Those stars are the light bodies that were made for believers from their works. The light bodies are honored…”
This connection between stars and souls finds confirmation in other sacred texts. In Surah Yusuf in the Quran, the sun, moon, and eleven stars in Joseph’s dream symbolize his family—his father Jacob, his mother Rachel, and his brothers.
Similarly in the gnostic Gospel of Judas, Jesus reveals to Judas the connection between his soul and its star, saying, “Your star has ascended, and your heart has strayed.” This passage suggests that each soul has a celestial counterpart, a star in the heavens that guides and reflects its earthly journey.
Imam Al-Sadiq explains that the planets “appear that way in disguise for those that are unlike them,” suggesting that their true nature is hidden from the unworthy.
Secrets of the Battle of Karbala
In around 680 CE Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and his small group of companions were martyred in the tragic battle of Karbala. Taking place on the plains of Karbala in present-day Iraq, this battle became a timeless symbol of sacrifice and resistance in the face of oppression. While this battle is a famous event known to all Muslims, Al-Haft Al-Shareef sheds light on the hidden dimensions of its tragedy, revealing a mystical interpretation of Imam Hussein’s martyrdom.
According to Al-Haft Al-Shareef:
“So when they gathered on Al-Hussein to slaughter him, he left his body and Allah raised him unto Himself and prevented the enemies from him.”
This revelation challenges the conventional understanding of Karbala’s events. It suggests that Imam Hussein did not suffer physically in the way many believe. Instead, his soul ascended to heaven, leaving his body behind as a vessel. According to the manuscript, God’s mercy is so great that He would never allow His prophets and messengers to endure such intense suffering.
This idea is similar to the Islamic belief about Jesus, who, according to the Quran, was not truly crucified but only appeared to be. The Quran says:
"And [for] their saying, 'Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.' And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but it was made to appear so to them." (4:157)
Just like Jesus was not truly crucified, Hussein was not really beheaded. His soul and essence had left his body. And it was an empty vessel that endured the pain.
Inheritance in the Soul World
Not only does Al-Haft Al-Shareef describe the journey of the soul and what it looks like but it also reveals the relationships between them. It reveals that those who believe in God and live righteous lives are made from the same divine light, creating a bond that transcends physical ties. As the book beautifully states:
"The believer becomes the brother of the believer from his father and mother, for mercy is his mother and his father is light."
It points out that these relationships are far deeper and more meaningful than the connections formed by blood.
But this insight is only the beginning. Al-Haft Al-Shareef prophesied that one of the defining signs of the Qa'im, the savior of the end times, is his ability to reveal the mysteries of the soul world and its relationships. This understanding would serve as the ultimate proof of his identity, a sign no one else could provide.
The text says:
"Verily, God chose between the souls in the shadows and then made them enter the bodies, and if our Qa'im emerges, he shall make the brother inherit from the brother whom God paired him with in the shadows, and he does not make him inherit from his physical brother. Know him from that."
All those who take the words of the Ahlul Bayt seriously should ask: Who has come with the knowledge of the souls and its relationship? Only Aba Al-Sadiq has fulfilled this prophecy, bringing the hidden knowledge of the soul world to light while at the same time claiming to be the Qa’im of Ale Mohammed.
A Man from Basra
Al-Haft Al-Shareef has therefore proven to be not only a manuscript revealing mystical knowledge but also a book safeguarded to help truth-seekers in the end-times recognize the Qa’im, the Imam and savior of their time.
In addition to mentioning the ultimate proof of his identity, the manuscript also lists several signs of the rise of the Qa’im. One distinct sign is the appearance of a man from Al-Basra. This man is said to be from the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.
While describing the signs of the appearance of the Qa'im it states:
“The coming down of soldiers on the shore of Sihan of Al-Basra. And there comes out on the shore of the Tigris River from Al-Basra a man from the sons of my Father. He wants to enter it but he is prevented from that by the most severe of preventions. And he returns leaving it, and the armies of Bani Mardas gather against him.”
This prophecy points clearly to Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan, the only man from Basra who has claimed to be a descendant of the Prophet in the realm of the soul.
This quote has historical significance as it became a significant sign for many believers in 2012, leading them to believe in Ahmed Al-Hassan after Aba Al-Sadiq released an English translation of Al-Haft Al-Shareef.
Aba Al-Sadiq has called Al-Haft Al-Shareef “one of the greatest books ever written” and “one of the most authentic and reliable books in Muslim history.” While he confirms that there are minor distortions in the text, its core teachings remain intact. Al-Haft Al-Shareef offers deep insights into the mysteries of creation, the soul, and divine justice.
For centuries, this mystical book was only available in Arabic, its secrets hidden from non-Arabic speakers. Now it is available only for any truth seeker to download and read. Though not entirely free from errors, the book is a valuable resource for understanding many concepts central to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. It is considered a must-read for seekers of truth and can be downloaded for free in both English and Arabic on the AROPL website.
I must say, although I haven't finished Al-Haft Al-Shareef, but the very first few pages were enough to easily blow my mind, and is easily one my favorite books. I actually like what you all do here on the website, so thank you for the hard work, it does not go unnoticed. Well done Caroline.
May God Bless You and reinforce the solidity of your work.
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