Chapter Adiyaat – Part 5

Recap: we studied 3 verses of the same chapter and found out that human beings are very ungrateful to their Lord and human beings are witness to that fact. It may not be outwardly expressed but within we know what way we are choosing. We are very passionate in our love for wealth – not limited to material property but mostly to our human qualities –we take ownership of them. All the actions performed, especially good ones, we claim ownership and say for example “I really wanted to do that”. Whatever human qualities we have, we claim that they are my property.

What we have chosen, what we have done, we know that. We witness ourselves what we choose. It is very difficult to face our reality – is that so?

It is hard for us to accept our reality although we are aware of it. Being aware is not enough as we can hide that. We don’t like to go with challenging ideas or those that go against our own understanding. That’s where the feeling of enmity towards the other option or the person presenting it to me comes from.

Some people say – you cannot deny my religion, some oppose prophets, followers of prophets don’t want to agree with the counter ideas – we may react, get angry and want to shut them down.

We know that we are free creatures.  If my Creator has set me free, then I will exercise that freedom and the accountability of choices that I take would be with me.

One thought on freewill is mostly questioned by readers of Quran in light with the following verse:

 “Such is Allah; He does what He wills.” (3:40)

Such verses in the Quran imply as saying that: “If I (the Creator) didn’t will it this way, the thing doesn’t happen.”  Things are set by my Creator and I cannot do anything beyond what has been set.

Many are puzzled about this matter – what do I think when a matter is already set so what is there for me to choose?

When the Quran discusses this matter – we think as if we don’t have free-will.  These verses do not disqualify the fact that I am given free will.  Can I choose anything I want in this world?  Yes. Example: In some cases, such as take a car to work or public transportation. How about am I free to get eyes in the back of the head?  No.  Can you choose your gender at birth?  No.

• Some of the things are possible within the order and some are not.

What are the things that I cannot choose here?  Can I change the order existing in the universe? Can I get eternal life here? No.  I can only choose from among what is in the order in creation. The options are available in terms of what is within the order or conditions of the universe as set by the maker of the Universe. The ability to choose is given to human beings among all those options and whatever we choose falls within that same order that exists.

Many other creations as we observe in the universe don’t have such free will.  For example, angels, which are representatives of the acts of creation are not given the choice to disobey. The sun, plants are not given the opportunity to choose.  However, human beings have the choice. The opportunity is given to choose by whoever sets the universe with this order.

Why do we get angry at those who choose unbelief?

Quran warns us – do not get upset, do not react to those who have chosen otherwise. It is an option presented by God to make them choose denial at their discretion.  This option to deny the truth is provided by a conscious Creator.  Believers must always be calm.  As a believer see that this universe must be made by a conscious, absolutely free Creator. The option to deny the truth/reality is given by this Creator, we should not get angry with the one who denies the truth by exercising their God-given freedom.

• If we get angry, what are we doing? Criticizing the order set -> criticizing the order giver – criticizing God’s will.

God’s will = God’s command.

The order we see in the universe is His will – for the universe to be as is, the way it is operating now is out of His will.  Verse: “Be and it is.” means everything created within the order of the universe is the result of His Will.

If everything is physically stated in the creation of the universe, why do I need the speech of God to guide me?  We need confirmation and verification in clearly stated verbal form to what we have chosen/concluded as right or wrong.

How do I verify what I have chosen? Verification needs to be verified through my own self. If the message conforms to my being when I use my consciousness, reasoning, my human self, then I verify what I have chosen.  Otherwise, I cannot really appreciate the guidance if there was no criterium to verify within me.

If the manufacturer’s handbook did not have a counter part in the product to be applied and verified, then the handbook is no good for anything.

Quran describes itself as healing and mercy.

• Out of my mercy – extra guidance.
• Prophet is a mercy – generally understood as kind, compassionate, good example to human beings. Fundamentally what the prophet does is not something you wouldn’t be able to find in the world – but as a bonus (extra guidance) presented to human beings.

Quran is the same as a bonus – does not bring anything new to human beings.  We need to be educated.  Does the teacher teach what is not in the universe? Is the ability to learn what is taught not within human potentiality? If it was not, then teaching would bring no benefit to human beings.

• If we treat the Quran as adding something that I would not potentially learn, and as something that I don’t understand then that defeats the purpose of the Quran.

The scripture is not telling me something which is not in my existence or the existence of the universe.  It is teaching me what is within the universe and teaches so I can learn faster.

Example: I don’t understand the glorification of the things in the universe. The way the things are presented to me in their creation.  Universe has a universal language – everyone potentially can understand no matter what they speak.  I don’t have to learn a specific language of creatures known as angels. For example, the beauty of a rose – do I need a special language to appreciate beauty?  How about when communicating with a baby that has not yet learned to speak?  I am able to communicate with the baby by communicating the universal language.

What happens when I prefer not to follow the guidance of my teacher?

Quran says: If you don’t follow me, then you will be misled, misguided. Why would I be misled? If someone says I am not going to listen to the Creator of the universe, but I will learn the right and wrong by myself alone, then s/he doesn’t want to face the reality that s/he needs to be taught in order to uncover what is within her/his potentiality.

Am I being right?  This question opens my learning, to benefit from the guide/teacher.

For example, if someone looks lost as if looking for direction – if I notice, do I turn my back on this lost person? When someone lost is asked – can I help you, how would that person feel? This lost person is seeking guidance and would jump on the opportunity to receive help.

If something discloses what is within me and I choose not to learn – I would not choose to follow the guide.  If you don’t intend to find out the truth from your existence, then guide will not help – although guide is there but cannot guide. There is a choice to be made in order to be guided.

One needs to seek guidance to be guided.  What the guide says, I check with my reality.

For example, looking for a street, and a guide tells me where and how to get there. I will verify with the physical reality of what the guide tells me.

• If I am honest to myself, I will find my hardwired qualities.

If someone has not received the message/messenger – what should they do?  There is no one to teach – God’s guidance has not arrived.  As a human being – what are they expected to do?

Verse in the Quran – If I don’t send guidance, then I do not punish them. (See, for example: Qur’an, 17: 15.)

This does not mean that I have to sit idle.  If one has never heard that guidance exists, then at least one has to be honest to who they are and try to find the way by being honest to their human qualities.  Guidance is from within me, from within the universe.

• When we seek guidance, it is always with us.

Following any guidance blindly is equally disastrous as not taking any action when there is no guidance.  We always check that the guidance makes sense to me. I have to be honest within myself to verify and investigate.  Without checking, there is no gain and I deceive myself.

100:9 – Does he not know when the contents of grave are brought out?

Grave means what is buried – example yesterday is buried. When time passes, whatever is done is buried, isn’t it?

What about after I die? Don’t I know before I die that what I have done in this world until now has been buried. Are they gone into non-existence – can they?

100:10 and the secrets of peoples’ hearts are brought out into the open?

The universe is in such a way, I represent the general principles functioning in the universe within myself. So, myself on the one hand remembering things of the past means the events I remember have not gone into non-existence. Similarly, the universe functions the same as human being where the meaning of things does not go into non-existence.

If I did something wrong or right yesterday, I would remember and that stays with me. If I remember something, it is not gone into non-existence, it is a sign.  For example, a judge sentences for a crime done in the past – it is still within the responsibility of that person. The guilt is still there.  What does human conscience say about something of the past?

• “You committed an action and it is still with you.” When you die, the same thing. The guilt or pleasures from 20 years ago must remain with you.  Otherwise, after you die, the murderer and the murdered becomes equal.  It’s a principle that people should be responsible for what they have done.

Does one want to lose their consciousness of what they did in the past? As far as my wrong actions are concerned, yes.  Otherwise, we want to preserve the good moments. What about preserving after we die?Body will go to earth. Consciousness is an inseparable part of the spirit, it stays with the spirit – it is not part of matter.  It is as if consciousness is what keeps the spirit intact.  We will be contradicting ourselves if there is no consciousness when we die although we want to preserve our consciousness.  If there was no evidence that resurrection will take place or no guidance from the Creator of the universe, then can you say that after I die, everything will be over?  No.

You will know after you die – your consciousness will be there – human beings are a witness to their reality. Don’t I know when something doesn’t concern me, with my real purpose of existence but I don’t want to face my reality – I do know what I am doing?  Yes.  If someone tells me otherwise contrary to what I deem fit for myself based on my pre-conceived notions, then I do not listen to them and run away from them i.e. I do not want to face my reality again and thus I “kill the prophet” for myself by ignoring them.

• Prophets are mirrors to one’s own choices and we do not want to face our reality if we are contradicting our human consciousness.

Finally, be conscious of your own present life. – remembering what you have done right or wrong.  I am witnessing to myself and our spirit will remain conscious of what it has been doing.

You may ask: “What is the benefit for me to know all this now?”  Well, definitely you must know the reality.  This verse expresses reality.

Why does the Quran emphasize that paradise will be eternal, but hell is as long as God wills? (Qur’an, 6: 128.)

• I have to check within myself, do I not know what I have done/have been doing? That’s how I can confirm the verse.

Do not be oblivious to your present life, it will never be deleted. Instead of being sorry at the end, while the education in this school continues – isn’t it better to pay attention right now? I cannot cheat myself because I know what is in me.  If I wasted last year, I should come to my senses and get back and train myself to what my reality is.

• While education continues, learn from teacher right now so tomorrow you will not be sorry. So tomorrow, you will not be sorry for today. Admit it to yourself: I am guilty of wasting last year in school.
• Time passes but the result of your harvest or time-frame in the institution is yielded. You pay for what you sow and earn but in order to face your reality, what you truly are and who you belong to.

Repentance is for the past; the result is forgiving and is in the present.  Is it possible that the one who creates doesn’t know? (Qur’an, 67: 14.)

Repentance is for the past only.  Forgiving starts from today if you acknowledge it and return back (“tauba” means to turn back to your reality).

How can I be sincere in my repentance?  Going to class, attending class and listening to the teacher today.   It is human to forgive, so does my Creator forgive.

Do you think  the Creator of this ability of what I have done/chosen in the past does not know?  The One who creates your memory does not have memory Itself?  A thousand times no!  Similarly, the One who gave you the desire for eternity does not have eternity?

100:11 –then, surely their Lord has always been fully aware of them?

My Creator must be fully aware of my choices since I am aware of them.  This is my personal conclusion about the Source of my existence.

At every level, Quran is clear. A teacher teaches exactly what is expected in primary school, then when you go to secondary and then high school.  The teacher knows your capacity, speaks in such a way, according to your capacity – and you understand accordingly.

If I do not investigate what guidance is telling me, then I will not question it.  I need to open myself to guidance with the principles on reading the Quran. Have a purpose on what I am doing.