Chapter Adiyaat – Part 1

100:1 “By the war horses which run swiftly to the battle, with a panting noise (breathing heavily;)”

Interesting that the first revealed verses don’t concentrate on teaching the notion of God, Unity or nature of God. One point was missing at that historical time – no idea of hereafter, resurrection, death being a transformation and not the end of one’s existence. The early revealed chapters of the Qur’an introduced to the people about the matters related to the transient nature of the world, life after death and the human conditions.  In this chapter we find that the Qur’an is describing how human beings resist their reality.

The early addressees of the Qur’an were not aware of the existence of life after death. We see the same in the following generations who have not opened themselves to the Revelation and also lived as if there is no life after death. They did not take notice of the creation where the reminders of the life after death is demonstrated. Qur’an draws our attention to take notice of these reminders in creation. For example, is the seed of a fruit tree alive or dead? The seed is alive. However, it did not flourish as the tree. Both seed and tree are alive in different life conditions.

Human beings may also have life in different conditions.  This form of existence is like a seed and another may be like the tree, as an example.

Death cannot be the end of existence. How about life? When we die, is it the end of life or another type of life is possible?  If someone thinks s/he is satisfied with this limited life, then sooner or later s/he will get to realize that human capacity can never be satisfied with limited existence. If you exist without consciousness, is that acceptable? No.  Can anyone say that?  No.

Human feelings especially human consciousness are not material substances. When my body stops functioning what happens to my human feelings and consciousness? Even in this bodily existence, if I lose my consciousness, what is worth my bodily existence even if I am alive?  What shall I do with my life without my consciousness? – that is what human nature is.  We want to be aware of our existence and our feelings.  Body wise, I may change, I am ever aging from my birth onward – that is acceptable by humans only as far as our bodily life is concerned.  Usually if we understand the soul and the capacity of the soul, then we cannot be satisfied with having a material means that we experience. E.g. Even if I eat an orange, without feeling its taste, what pleasure do I get from eating the body of the orange which disappears as soon as I eat?

No, I want to taste and experience the senses, practice it. That is what we are encoded with in our existence.  Science now says that human beings are nothing but the genome system.

My human side never wants to lose consciousness of its own existence and wants to experience it.  This body does not allow us to fully practice what our capacity allows and desires.  I say that it shouldn’t be such.

This life is like the life of a seed, the qualities are alive in the seed, and want to become a tree to fully practice the qualities to their fullest.

• My consciousness tells me that I have to fully practice my abilities to seek eternal satisfaction.

This was the missing point in the lives of people in the prophet’s time and this has always been in the minds of people–to become memorable heroes. It still is the same: Human expectation of eternal life was replaced with becoming a famous person – statues, names being persisted by placing in different forms.

Seed under the soil seems to be losing its life. Look at the huge palm tree, where is its seed?

We can become 2 kinds of trees – Tuba or Zaqqum (poisonous or pleasurable sweet tree). We may grow our potentialities to grow into either tree based on our training here. The prophetic mission was focusing mostly on the end of our worldly lives, transience of the world, including human beings in this form. Another point was on human arrogance, position before another superior being, we don’t want to submit to anyone superior – don’t want to be a slave. We are created with the sense of loving freedom, experiencing what we have in our potentialities. We want to increase our knowledge, skills, develop our potentialities to be the best. Potentiality has no limit. We are given the capacity to experience our potential with no end.

If we do not have the concept of eternal life after death, we reject our reality in order to sustain our satisfaction under our control in this world. This struggle is very visible among those who reject eternal life.

Very famous in the theology: “God created human beings in His own image”

I am aware of my potentialities. We are given the ability to perceive, realize who is my master, artist, originator, designer – who designed me in this way? If my potentialities have no end, then the qualities of my maker must be endless.  My maker has given me potentialities with no limit. Who can give potentialities with no limit – only One who has no limit.

Another aspect of this is that these potentialities must be satisfied. This source gave me endless capacities, the desire for them – satisfaction with no end – this source must be able to give eternal life with no end – who or what can give this? My perishable flesh, atmosphere, galaxy?

If you had a map of the galaxies -what would be the size of earth on that map? A tiny dot perhaps.  Human beings want to encompass all galaxies in their entirety, don’t we? What do the cosmologist investigate? Who or what gave me that desire?

• I want help from a drop of water – the drop doesn’t respond. What’s going on? Can my flesh even the whole universe be giving me the desire and yearning for satisfaction when It cannot even respond?

Anything which is not describable in the conditions of the universe, must be endless – absolute. If the human mind cannot comprehend something, then it must not be of the universe because everything within the universe I am able to comprehend.  I cannot describe and say here is the Infinite.

We are here on earth to become aware of the qualities of our source of existence – as much as we can. There is no end, but human beings try as much as we can e.g.  After Master’s degree, I can learn more and continue.  That learning is within us – learn the qualities of the source of our existence – study His work and become more and more aware of the qualities of our maker. Educating for our worldly life or human life?  Again Who/What can provide endless life which I yearn for? Only the one who gave me the desires which are not of the universe.

Quran first emphasizes on the transience of this world – this whole universe will be destroyed completely by showing that the universe cannot sustain its existence and hints at a new life.

Free yourself from things that put limitations on you – I don’t want to be tied to something that cannot satisfy my human expectations.  Can I be thankful to someone that is not able to help me?  No.  As far as my relationship with the table, for instance, is concerned, I must be thankful to the provider of the table, not the table itself. How about my human qualities – can I be thankful to the air, sun, parents, my flesh, my genome which themselves are in need of being given existence and subject to the order of the universe, with no freewill or the One who provides and employs the whole universe for me?  Of course, the latter for any human being who are not biased.

Do we abuse our sense of freedom?  Most of the time, yes. How? By using it to satisfy my temporary needs only – not the needs of my potentialities. Freedom is given to us to free ourselves to be indebted to anything in the universe. Freedom is given to us to be used for the right purpose – rely on our Source of Existence (SOE) and submit to Him.

I need the best orange, for example – who is the maker of the orange and the sense for acquiring the best?  Always be grateful, submissive to the maker of the orange.

We are studying the art of our Creator while we are created in this world– that is the desire given to me – I am here to learn what I don’t know – that is why we are here in this world.

Why do some people get angry even though they do not believe in God? Why bother getting angry if they believe that they happen to be in existence and disappear from existence as a result of chance since they have no purpose in their existence?  Question the origin of existence of everything – feelings, life etc.

What about the believers – are we striving to fulfill the needs of our limitless, infinite human potentialities, introduce them to their real owner, to get to know the origin? They must be utilized to get to know our SOE.

Why do the material scientists say: “if I don’t put something in the lab, then I cannot talk about its existence.” – They cannot master the Creator of the Universe – they cannot manipulate the SOE. The things here we treat them as we want. I am free to be the patron of things.

All these qualities to investigate the existence are given to me to get to know the One who gave me all those qualities. We have to prepare ourselves to grow into a tree. 2 options, either use them to get to know the SOE and become the flourishing tree (Tuba) or use them to go against your own reality and grow into a poisonous tree (Zaqqum,) poisoning all your desires for eternity.

• Consciously acknowledge and submit to the truth – e.g., accept your createdness and try to identify your existence with its SOE, present your eternal needs to Him. In this way your daily life turns into a means to become aware of your SOE.

I don’t mind submitting my endless desires to my Creator – as long as I realize that it is He who is the source of the desires that exist in my being. When I use my consciousness, I become fully aware that I belong to a SOE that can satisfy those desires, I am fulfilling the purpose of my existence.

• I am seeking Him, trying to get to know Him – must be the objective of my life.

I should not abuse my given freedom – when eating an orange, don’t abuse it. See the qualities manifested in the orange pointing to the Necessary Existence of the SOE.