Arguments for Resurrection – Part 5

The Seedbed of Light, The Third Treatise

Arguments for the Resurrection (page 53 continuation)

“(God) has a small hospice, an ever-changing testing-ground, filled and emptied daily with His subjects, despite His Sovereignty’s infinite splendor. They stay only for a short time in that place, which displays the marvels of the Ruler’s art and Favor and is continually transformed. The implication is that behind this hospice, testing-ground, and place of exhibition are permanent palaces, everlasting abodes, and open treasuries filled with the original items.”

This universe is a reflection of its Creator’s qualities. Every human being is a mirror reflecting the qualities of its Maker. We only experience qualities in its manifested form here in this universe. As per the author, the original qualities CAN NOT be experienced here but we can conclude the existence of the original qualities by experiencing them here in manifested form.

By now, we have become aware of another type of existence where the qualities will be manifested in their original forms.

What exactly are the original items or original qualities?

Analogy: Mother showing compassion to child by preparing dinner.

We conclude:

1. the Existence of mother

2. the Qualities of mother (love and compassion)

We experience:

3. the food she prepares (limited form)

Similarly, the Creator of the universe makes us experience its qualities in limited form here through physical objects/experience. As a result, we yearn to see this ability in its original form.

• I am sure of the existence of the Creator of the universe: It must exist as I am sure of the existence of original form of the qualities that belongs to It because I experience here temporarily.

[Side note–“Fire” in the Quran means burning, suffering and pain, all of which we experience here in any choice we make that goes against our human nature.]

Our capacity allows us to conclude that such a Being exists but this kind of creation which is transient does not allow to know the nature of such a Being.

Created being cannot experience Absolute Being but created being can understand and be convinced that absolute being must exist. That is called belief, a conviction one derives at after using human qualities.

If something is a number it is limited. It is wrong to say that a number is infinite. If something is infinite, you cannot put a limit to it, thus symbolize it with a number.

• Lamyalid (Qur’an 112: 3): if something is created, it cannot be the Creator. Absolute cannot be created and a created thing cannot be Absolute. Absolute being does not give Absolute qualities to any created being.
• No one can imagine Absolute qualities in a created thing.
• Walamyulad (Qur’an 112: 3)– do not attribute any created form to Absolute Being, it would be contradictory. The Source of existence in this universe must be Absolute in its existence.
• If something is observable, then it is created.

Analogy: When you read a text, you communicate with its author through physical form. Similarly, we communicate with the Creator of the universe through objects/events here. It makes us realize the following:

1. Paper/Univers→ecreated
2. Text/object→created
3. Meaning→created
4. Author/Creator of the universe→must exist

How do I know God?

From the existence of stars which refers to the Creator of stars. You realize that particles exist but how? Particles cannot exist by themselves, therefore, they are given existence.

Belief means knowing the existence of the qualities in abstract sense. Quran speaks to us in terms of this world and makes us convinced about another type of creation. “whoever made me with the sense of liking permanence will definitely make me experience it.” We realize this only after the quality is manifested which we experience. When we conclude or come to a realization, all our senses act at once together. Human qualities cannot be divided in their functions. Example: you are eating food as a whole human being. Your mouth and stomach are not the only one functioning. The power of sight and intellect all are functioning to get meaning.

Analogy: When I hear a singer sing, I realize that s/he has the talent to sing (capacity). Similarly, when the qualities are manifested in creation, you conclude that such a Being owning these qualities must exist. We yearn to see these qualities in its original form. We only conclude and confirm the Being’s existence here.

I cannot see God here but I can see its manifested qualities. Example: I may not see the composer here but I am sure that the composer exists after experiencing the compassion.

We see the manifested forms of the qualities here, which make us conclude about the necessary existence of the qualities. This, in turn makes us conclude the necessary existence of the One that has these qualities.In conclusion, what makes me conclude that the qualities are manifested and not in its original form? That is, what is the compassion that I experience when my mother gives me food? What makes it not original? I know it is transient but how do I know it is not original?

1. Mother cannot be the source of existence of “compassion” that she manifests. We human beings can easily understand this.
2. Because the universe is a reflection of qualities of its Maker. If something is reflected in the mirror, it must have an original form which is what I truly desire. Also, we get to know the Source of existence of the qualities through the qualities manifested here. What is the Source of existence of things and qualities? We do not know that, we just conclude such. Why is the Source of existence of all qualities the same? Because every quality is being reflected from the mirror at the same time.