By July 29, 2017 Read More →

Arguments for Resurrection – Part 18

Seedbed of light (continuation page 56)

“A true human being understands that this world was not created for its own sake and is not an end in itself, but rather a realm filled through birth and emptied through death. The Munificent Lord invites its inhabitants to the realm of happiness. Its decorations provide only temporary pleasure, and are replaced by pain upon their disappearance, to sharpen one’s appetite [for the originals]. They cannot satisfy this appetite, because both they and those enjoying them exist only for a short time. They are offered so that the travelers will reflect, give thanks, and yearn for the eternal originals.”

What is a true human being?

  • Being true to your reality which is the way you are created. In other words, not distorting your true human nature.

Physical actions never show one’s reality. I may be helping the needy ones but it does not make me a true human being without attributing this sense to its Origin. The question we should all be asking ourselves is: “Am I conditioning myself with any type of ideology?”

We need to look into people who are determined about their conclusions concerning existence as they maybe conditioning themselves. People mostly refer to their belief as “we” vs. “I” as if belief is a collective activity. That is the easy way out where you just subscribe yourself to a certain institution without fulfilling your personal responsibility, which is incumbent on every human being to investigate the universe for themselves and conclude for themselves lailaha ilallah (nothing has the power to give existence, there must be a One giving existence). Belief is one’s own personal conclusion which one derives at through his/her observation of the universe.

  • Am I claiming lailaha ilallah as a result of conditioning myself?

Another way of conditioning is not to identify oneself with a religious institution thinking that it is corrupt and horrible. There is no denying that most religious institutions in and of themselves are corrupt because they promote a certain way of life focusing on rituals and physical actions only without providing any substantial evidence to convince the rational being. Usually, people who disassociate themselves from institutionalized religion reject the possibility of there must be a God and hence block the way of God altogether. As a result, they try to explain the existence of the universe by referring it to the universe itself which is the scientific way as science study the universe within the universe itself. This scientific reason is also conditioning oneself because you have just confined yourself to the universe itself by blocking the possibility that things may have an origin of existence. Theology claims that God created the universe. While reasoning, this claim blocks the mind; but while performing ritualistic prayers it is fine to utter that only after experiencing the universe. At least, theology takes you out of the context of the universe. Therefore, to answer the initial question, a true human being is someone who is “freely thinking” using his/her “human qualities” and has not conditioned himself/herself to believe in God or deny God.

Often heard comment: “A true believer is someone who submits himself to God without investigation”. Does this sound like a baseless claim, especially now that we understand what a true human being is?

Do you feel pain in this creation?

What we experience here as a created being has two aspects:

  1. We are being entertained here.
  2. As far as human expectations are concerned, this creation is wonderful but frustrating.

We do hear horrible news in the media such as wars, people dying… There is no need to mention about the events happening in this world but at the same time the Quran is full of news about calamities afflicting past generations which tell us that this existence is not permanent.

This seemingly contradictory position (the two aspects mentioned above) set up for us is a perfect creation to prepare us. Is there anything not disappearing every moment? Our spirit is represented by our consciousness. The consciousness side of spirit reminds me that I need Eternity. Consciousness is given.

This world does not satisfy my human expectations, it is filled with pain. How am I going to get out of this contradiction?

Answer: Always go through the following two stages.

  1. What can be the cause of existence of anything? Anything that attracts your attention. Example: strawberry. Study it first. What can be the cause of existence of the strawberry? Question that first. Then human side reasons that in order to give existence to the strawberry, this cause must be able to give existence to the whole universe. Then come to the conclusion that there must be a Source of Existence which is not like this universe (I call it Absolute) but this Source of Existence is the Source of Existence of this Universe. If this Source was not Absolute, then it would not be able to give existence to this universe which is continuously changing, deliberately arranged perfectly within an order.
  2. I need Eternity. Only if you are convinced with #1, you can say this. Eternity can definitely be provided by the One who gave me my consciousness and who gave the ability to desire Eternity to my human consciousness. I turn to Him alone and at this point I have nothing to do with this world.

Mostly, after claiming to believe in the Absolute, people feel entitled to making statements about God using speculative languages. We need to remember to always start our reasoning from creation.

  • Example: huwa al hayyulqayyum (He is the ever living One). How do I know He is alive? I have no knowledge that he is alive. I only conclude the Absolute. I can never think about the nature of the Absolute. All I know is that if Absolute One was not a Living One, he would not be able to give life to new born. Conclusion: “I do not know his nature of being alive but I am sure of His being the Absolute Source of life”. If the Creator of the universe was not a Living One, His existence would not be continuing. Is there any break/slumber in the existence of the universe? (Baqara (2): 255) Do you think that sometimes the universe is not working properly? No, the universe is constantly perfect which means that the Source of Existence must be Ever Living One.
  • Example: Wala yahudu hu hifzuhuma (To keep the universe intact does not tire Him) (Baqara (2): 255). How do I know this? Definitely if He got tired, the universe would not be perfect in its existence. You may say that when a calamity happens, universe is not perfect or loveable. However, in its existence, know that everything is perfect and there are no signs that He gets tired.
  • Never think of God or any matter from God’s perspective. Look at the universe and you can comfortably conclude about the Source of its Existence. Our concentration should be on the universe. Always look at the universe.

Finally, the author of this text is drawing our attention to the fact that I have to live for Eternity and look for Eternity.

Comment: Can my consciousness tell me that it is Eternal or it needs Eternity?

Consciousness cannot sustain its existence by itself. Consciousness is given, it reminds me that I need Eternity but consciousness cannot exist by itself. Because human spirit yearns for Eternity, that quality may make us think that we are Eternal, which is a wrong impression. Some texts also misunderstood it to a level where they are aware for the need of Eternity but they try to formulate the idea of transformation of existence from one type of creation into another within this universe. “Since I need Eternity, my consciousness must be Eternal” cannot satisfy the rational mind. They cannot think of the Origin of the universe and hence block the possibility of a Creator who must be Absolute. Such a solution is temporary and meaningless as it circulates within the existence of the universe.

Rejecting God or claiming God without evidence or further investigation eventually leads to the same problems i.e. meaningless existence until we die.

Object of pleasure and pleasure should not disappear.

Finally, this creation is wonderful and funny. You love it and you enjoy it. But as you ate the brownie for example, it disappears. So how can you say that the brownie is the Source of satisfaction? In fact every moment is like this. You enjoy something and as soon as you enjoy it, it disappears. Such an interesting contradiction so that every act of creation is a call for me that this is not a Source of pleasure, it is just a sample and I need a permanent form of this sample (or the original).

Creation has been adjusted in such a manner that everything matches human nature so that human beings get the truth/reality and as a result they will never be misled. Popular comment: “Satan misled us”. We need to figure out what “Satan” in the language of the Qur’an means. As far as creation is concerned, nothing has any quality which will mislead human beings from the truth. Everything draws our attention that “hey you need an Absolute One”. That is, we need to work on referring the quality of everything to the Absolute Creator.




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