What is the secret of the number forty?

His Names, the Exalted and Almighty, are four. Three of them are manifest and one is unseen. The manifest names are Allah (Divine Essence), Ar-Rahman (Encompassing in Mercy) and Ar-Raheem (Intensely Merciful). As for the one that is unseen, it is the Truth and Reality and it is symbolized by the word ‘He’ (Huwa), also known as the greater, greater, and greater name.

All things that exist manifest by the manifestation of these names in the worlds, and appear after there had been nothing. The worlds are ten, and they are; the seven heavens, the chair, the greater throne, and the pavilion of the greater throne.

They are three related to Pilgrimage (Hajj), and seven if you go back.
{[…] And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] – then a fast of three days during Hajj and of seven when you have returned [home]. Those are ten complete [days]. This is for those whose family is not in the area of al-Masjid al-Haram. And fear God and know that God is severe in penalty}. (Surat Al Baqara: 196)

The three in Hajj’ –the House of God – are the Chair, the Greater Throne, the Pavilion of the Greater Throne. As for the ‘seven when you return‘, they are the seven heavens. ‘This is for whoever’s family is not present at the Sacred Mosque,’ meaning whoever is not from the Family of Muhammad PBUHAHP.

Also, the fasting here is from the ‘I’, and it is in ten ranks: three in Hajj: The Chair, the Throne and the Pavilion of the Throne, and seven when you return: the seven heavens, and in each rank there are four cases which are the manifestations and presence of the four names. Therefore, the fasting from the ‘I’ (one’s self and ego) comes in forty cases. Whoever is dedicated to God for forty days: the springs of wisdom runs from their heart on their tongue (1).

The self needs those forty cases to move from one world to the other completely. For the self of the newborn doesn’t settle except after these forty, and the self of the dead except after these forty, and the talk about the forty goes on, but what has been presented to this point is sufficient.

Answer to Question 93, Enlightening Answers through the Internet, Ahmed Al-Hasan
(1) Jami‘ as-Sa‘adat, vol. 2, p. 77; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 53, p. 326

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