87:9 “Remind, then, perhaps (it is expected) the reminder benefits.”
What do we understand from reminder?
- Mostly, it is understood as something that one already knew.
- Something that I already know but I have not worked out.
Does reminder has to be in the form of knowledge?
- Not necessarily. It could be like a feeling that you felt before or a state of mind.
The purpose of “reminder” has to do with human potentiality. We all have endless potentialities that need to be activated. Just like a seed which has everything in its potentiality to grow into a tree. How can the seed be reminded to grow into a tree? Obviously, seed is not a human being that we can let it know that it can become a tree. How do we attain a tree? We put the seed in soil, water it and so it sprouts into a small shoot and then a tree. “Reminder” is something potentially within us so that some other external factors will help speed up the activation of our potentiality into ability.
- Reminding is important.
Reminding does not necessarily mean that my potentiality will be turned into abilities. Quran says that your spirit acknowledges God. In this world, the Prophets bring the news, our feelings (internal) and the qualities outside (external) all start working together in order to awaken and revive what is already within the potentiality of our spirit and so the sprit acknowledges its Source of Existence i.e. it is not an alien Source to the spirit.
Most of the time we do not know what we are capable of but potentially we are able to acknowledge the truthfulness of the message/news brought by the Prophets. The message may come in various forms:
- Verbal explanation i.e. Speech and its representation in human form i.e. Prophet.
- Act i.e. the universe
- Human potentialities.
We have the potentiality to judge something and we can judge something based on how much we have cultivated our potentialities.
Does the potentiality function equally for everyone? No.
Every orange seed grows into an orange tree. They look the same but have some variations. Potentially, every orange seed and human beings have the same potentially. Do we grow into a tree or are we different? It all depends on how we use our freewill. We can change the direction of our potentiality i.e. deny the development of our potentiality, use it in the wrong way or let go.
Whenever we talk about human beings, there is always one constant that never changes which is freewill. Freewill changes everything for human beings. Whatever you want to understand about yourself, your carelessness, problems or any other issue…everything depends on your exercising of your freewill.
- Whatever happens, ask what way have I chosen or how have I utilized my freewill?
“Reminder” stimulates our potentiality. That is, it is reminding something that exists within me. Can everyone take the same attitude towards reminder? No. All human beings have the same potentiality and in the external form, human beings are all the same. Muhammad/Moses is the same as Pharaoh/Abu Jahal. They have same external forms (two eyes, a brain…) and potentialities (human qualities). Why is the result completely opposite to each other? It is all because of freewill. It is not because something was wrong with the spirt of Pharaoh/Abu Jahal or something was extraordinarily prepared for Muhammad/Moses. They are the same, just like the orange seed. One of them grows into tree of Tuba (Paradise) and the other into tree of Zaqqum (hell).
- Orange seed do not change the direction of their growth but we do because of our freewill.
When the Quran says God guides any one He wants to the right path and to the wrong path, it all has to do according to one’s usage of freewill. In other words, according to one’s intentions and expectations, one is set on that path. That is, whatever you want, God creates the result accordingly. God does not act arbitrarily. Yes, He is Omnipotent and has an Absolute Freewill, but Its promise is that It will act in a Wise way according to what we deserve. How do we deserve anything? Again, it is according to our freewill.
Reminder may or may not benefit depending on one’s choice, but it is expected that it should benefit. Verbal Reminder comes in the form of speech and through a man (Prophet) to represent the content of the revelation.
If we were angels, then we will be sent angels to represent the message. We are sent human beings to remind us so reminder will take place in the form of human actions. We need all three forms: verbal, creation and human (as mentioned on page 1).
We perfectly fit into the center of creation, so potentially we can communicate with the universe, Prophet and the Scripture. Hence, no one can make an excuse that I cannot really understand my existence and I cannot come to the same conclusion as some people can. Just use your freewill freely and you will understand what is going on within yourself, universe and the message of God (represented by the Prophet). All three must unite at the center where human spirit acknowledges all of them. That is why a human being is more than the universe. Universe itself as a material cannot consciously acknowledge the reality but it is like a mirror reflecting qualities. Is the material side of the universe consciously reflecting what object is in front of it? No. Similarly, we are like mirrors but we are conscious of what is being reflected. Get to know yourself. What is my mission in this world? To go back to my Origin and acknowledge my Origin. Listen to yourself with no prejudice.
What makes the situation difficult?
- Expecting things to happen overnight. We are created like any other being subject to gradual development. A seed does not become a tree in one day. It gradually improves its potentiality. Just understand that we are at the center of creation and everything can benefit us where we can connect back to the Origin of our existence.
Human nature wants everything to be perfect. God says that I am not expecting you to be perfect but you have to be going on the right path. Whatever means you use to be on the path, just stay on the right path. Be on the path. That is, try to acknowledge the Origin of your Existence. It takes time and we will develop as long as we are making progress in connecting our existence to the Source of its Existence. Be consistent with yourself!
- We think that I will never be able to put into practice. Human consciousness is different from human actions. Why does the Quran make the difference between “shirk” (attributing Ownership qualities to things) and doing something wrong? Human beings can understand this.
God says, “I never forgive shirk but I can forgive the action i.e. wrong doing.” Why does the Quran keep repeating this? It means just repent and ask for forgiveness. If you insist in committing shirk i.e. not being on the path and connecting your spirit to another source rather the Source of your existence. Example: expecting satisfaction from things, objects and people. You can only be satisfied if you connect your being to the Source of its Existence. Then, everything becomes a servant to you prepared by your Creator in order to use them to understand which names manifest there so you can connect it.
We do not have to go through any stages as every moment is an opportunity to immediately connect yourself to your Source. Example: while eating an orange, connect the qualities manifested in the orange to its Source of Existence. That is the role of human consciousness. Do not turn your stomach into a graveyard for dead bodies of the food you eat.
You just need to practice conscious relationship in your life with the things that you are encountering. Always see what is manifested there and use your knowledge/tools to see what Name (Quality) of the Creator is manifested in the event. YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SUCCEED IMMEDIATELY! While eating an orange for 2 minutes, you may remember it at the last second. What we have to know is that it is possible to connect to the Source of our Origin. While eating the orange (action wise), we may forget but do not despair of God’s Mercy as acknowledgment is important. “I ate the orange but did not establish a connection between the qualities manifested in the orange and the tools within me that detect Mercy in the orange. The Merciful One introduces itself to me. When you fail, say: “Sorry, I did not connect the orange to its Source of Existence, it was wrong.” ADMIT–>REPENT Then, we are not committing shirk or denying our reality. At least, we are not distorting the connection even if we do not plug the outlet. But we need to complete the circle i.e. connect the qualities to its Source. Be brave to admit your mistakes! Never try to justify yourself with false allegations. Your aim should be: “I will develop my potentiality gradually.” Here, you are not denying your real mission in the world. Only when you deny your reality does it become unforgivable because you are not acknowledging the Source in any way, be it acknowledging Its qualities or acknowledging that you have failed to acknowledge Its qualities.
Comment: When I am not forgiven, then, I will never be happy?
Only when you deny your reality, does it become unforgivable and you will never be happy as a human being. We can only get satisfaction by plugging the outlet. Otherwise, when I graduate from this world, my degree will say failure.
Human beings are nothing but what God has breathed into them from Its spirit. Human nature is defined by the Creator through the manifestation of Its Names. Universe is the place where the qualities of the Creator manifest. If you really do not distort your spirit through your freewill, then you are going to approve the message comfortably. Spirit is endowed with all necessary tools to acknowledge its Creator. Consciously, we can acknowledge the qualities of the Creator.
We may distort our freewill i.e. using it to choose what we are not expected to choose. Freewill is important, never neglect it. Prophet knew that people’s freewill needs help. By definition, only Prophets receive revelation. That is why God said to him that you cannot do anything more than reminding. Some people may take it seriously and apply it to their life. That is why human beings are free and no one can impose anything on others. We should not get disappointed at others after reminding because we have to respect everyone’s freedom. Why do we have to respect everyone’s freedom? Because everyone is set free to choose. Also, don’t be hard on yourself; just see why you don’t take the reminder seriously.
Comment: I still see “reminder” as knowledge or an instruction that I may apply or cultivate.
Analogy: You were to bring me a fruit basket today and did not. When I remind you, you say that: “I forgot”. In other words, knowledge-wise you forgot it. But action wise, you have the potentiality to bring it in.
- Knowledge + conscious action= Remembering (In the language of the Qur’an, “dhikr.”)
“Dhikr” not only means to remember but it is also something to keep in your mind alive i.e. it is within you and another factor from outside (Quran, Prophet or the universe) awakens your potentiality and it will grow into action or ability. “The potentialities I have in my being are all the qualities of the Creator manifested in my being. My spirit is what God breathes into me.”
We are like farmers here, we may cultivate our potentialities. It needs our decision i.e. how consistent am I to grow my humanity or human nature into a physical form that I can experience in this world which needs my attention?
- I have to will it to have it.
Teachers do not teach you more than what your potentiality contains. Why does the Quran not bring you more than what your potentiality includes? Because it defeats the purpose of the speech i.e. you only get what you give in.
We have to understand ourselves i.e. who we are? Why are we representing all the qualities of God? Because what makes us human beings is not our flesh but what God breathes into us from its spirit i.e. whatever the qualities God has inspired into us. What makes my spirt is nothing but the created manifested form of the qualities of God. All the names of God are already instilled in me. What the universe represents is the Names (qualities) of God which I have already been given in my spirit. Quran introduces God to me, Its qualities and connects me to my Original Source.
None of the names/qualities of God, which I need to have in order to know Him, is missing in my potentiality. Seed has the potentiality to become a tree. When it is cultivated it becomes a perfect tree. The capacity was already within the seed. Only the external conditions make the tree not in perfect form. It does not make me deny the fact that the seed has the potentiality. Human potentiality is perfect in order to connect with the names of the Creator.
87:10 “Those who stand in awe of God will heed the reminder.”
“Standing in awe” means that one who chooses not to contradict their reality. Only the people, who have the right attitude that I am created and my existence is dependent, will acknowledge the Source of their existence. Be honest with yourself and express your reality.
While doing rituals, we can practice our understanding in 3 ways:
- Body performs
- Tongue says the conclusions
- Consciousness accompanies it
We just need to acknowledge our position i.e. who I am (totally needy and dependent) and who my Lord is (the Most High).
Prayer is just expressing your reality and nothing else. The point is to realize your position before your Creator. Also, sometimes we may ask for good but it may be bad for us and we think that it maybe good, there is a verse along that line: “Human beings ask for good which is bad for them and what they deem bad is good for them” (17: 11.) We need to make the distinction between my duty and God’s duty. God’s duty is to create what is good for you if and only if you are connecting with the Origin as far as your prayers are concerned. Your duty is to accept what your reality is and express it in various ways. Example: you want to be successful in your profession. Express it but do not make it to a point that God will respond to my prayer and accept it as I want. You do not know what is exactly good for you, the Will of the Creator decides according to the core of your prayer. You may name it wrongly. Just as any prayers presented to us in the Quran is a way of expressing what our realty is. Example: Prophets ask for their children to be worshippers. What does it mean? It means that we are in need of our progenies to be worshipping God. No one commands God to make my children like this. Just express yourself: “This is who I am and that is what I need”. At the end, your children may be worshippers or not, that is dependent on God’s wisdom and will according to the choice of the child. We cannot fathom Its Wisdom but we can understand some based on our capacity. Our responsibility is to only express our reality and what we need i.e. communicating with God.
I need to have my own consciousness of who I am and what my position before the Creator is. If I have the right attitude, I stand in awe of God. That is my mission but I may not do that. If you have this intention, the reminders will benefit you.
87:11 “the wicked will avoid it.”
People who deny their reality miss the meaning of their existence.
87:11 “He will enter the great Fire.”
As a result, they will suffer dissatisfaction in their existence as a result of their wrong choice.
In summary, human beings have the potentiality to know and recognize the qualities of their Maker. We need to utilize ourselves effectively. That is, use your freewill in the way that it is meant for. In other words, try to see the qualities of the Creator manifested in each and every action.