Verse recited at the beginning of class: “O Lord! Do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake. Lay not a burden on us as that which you have laid on those before us…”
The meaning of such verse needs to pertain to what I experience right now. Everywhere in creation, I encounter various signs. Let’s say I see an elderly person walking with a cane. This event is a sign for me which not only makes me realize that I may reach this stage of life but also gives me a desire that I do not want to be in a situation where I am using a cane. I used this event as an acknowledgment to this realization, which ultimately becomes my prayer.
Recap: How do we heed the reminder? We need to utilize (1) ourselves (our consciousness), (2) the universe and (3) the Verbal Speech (through the Messengers).
87: 12 “he enters the great fire.”
According to a known scholar, “fire” refers to our psychological state of being as well. Let’s say that you are always fearful about death. That is a condition given to human nature but we need to solve this condition by accepting the reality that “yes, I will die from this universe just as I am dying every moment”. Where did my youth go? Where did yesterday go? Even those who follow atheistic worldview are well aware of this reality that sooner or later, we are bound to leave this universe. However, the new type of creation will be a replica to my state of mind here. In other words, if I am aware that I have a Lord taking care of me here by preparing all my needs, then I submit my total existence to it. When I know that I have a Wise Owner who owns me and knows what it is doing with me, so I do not bother about what my Owner will do with me after death from this universe. Do not worry about why you are getting old because it is the body that gets old, not the spirit.
- One’s spirit never gets old.
We are getting old is a Mercy from the Creator and this is preparing ourselves to face death which is nothing as far as my consciousness or spirit is concerned.
- Death has nothing to do with my existence or human side.
If someone thinks that death is falling into annihilation, it does not affect this person’s human side. It only affects this person while s/he is living now in the following way: “When I think that I am going to fall into annihilation, it means that I know that I will lose my power of sight, power of thinking…” Just as a person who is given Alzheimer does not remember anything including their physical operation which means that this person has lost one quality of life. No one wants to be in that position. Our Existence changes on a daily basis just like NIGHT/DAY, which some earlier scholars alluded to the fact that we are dying every moment. It is so obvious we cannot reduce our life here to facing death only.
STOP DEFINNING YOURSELF IN TERMS OF YOUR BODY ONLY!!!
We have to understand that life is different from spirit. When the spirit leaves the body, the body turns into compost. When we die, our body stays here, just like a cut plant which may live for a couple of hours but then is made to rot totally. Similarly, our nails and hair may keep their growth for a couple of moments but just like a plant, the body is of no use to anyone.
If you reduce yourself to your body only, then obviously you are not aware of your consciousness which requires acknowledgment of its Source of Existence. As a result, we are bound to suffer from psychological issues or “fire” which is nothing but “existential pain”. There is no denying that the existential pains are always with us but we may shun it by not listening to ourselves and occupying ourselves with our daily routines. Instead, we need to train our spirit to solve the existential pain which can only happen when human consciousness realizes or acknowledges its Source of Existence.
Human spirit sees through the eyes. It is not the human body that is seeing through the eyes. We do not pay attention to our spiritual being.
MESSAGE FOR ALL SINGLE PEOPLE OUT THERE:
When you want to establish a marriage relationship with someone, you look for a long-lasting relationship. One’s spiritual situation, which is one’s character, is important. All other importance attached to physical appearance are not important. Spiritual consistency is the most important.
- People are not bodies but something else. This something else is one’s spirit!
Avoiding reality and pretending as if you have not seen leads to experiencing “fire” or existential pain in the long run. Human spirit cannot completely forget about this pain, its deep down there. However, familiarity makes existential pain easy to cope with and manage with our problems. First time you hear a noise, it really distracts you but afterwards you develop a familiarity with it. But our spirit knows that something is missing in its expectations. Example: as soon as you buy something, you know the enjoyment will only last a couple of days. People lease things now because they know that they will not get satisfaction with it longer-term because of adapting a familiarity with things.
These days or in this culture, understanding of religion does not define me, who I am or what my human reality is. Just like paying tax is external and is burdensome to me, similarly, rituals are reduced in the same way. Religion has become external to our human reality, obeying rules outside of you like paying tax whether you like it or not, because of the fear of punishment, or fear of fire in the future.
We may not heed the reminder of the Prophets and our consciousness. Messages of the Messengers remind us of our reality. I need to read the Quran in order to help me improve my reality, who I am and what am I doing in this world. Religion needs to define who I am and what I need to do. Rather, religion has become what I have to do. People read the Quran with the expectations to get information, which is a very external concept to one’s human side.
Similarly, the universe has become nature (something happening by itself, which has nothing to do with me, it is not a source of message); it is not speaking to me or revealing to me the qualities of the Creator. Have you ever thought that the Creator of the Universe is speaking to you? Have you ever thought that the beings in the universe are really carrying messages to you?
- Are you not getting excited and being comfortable in your existence here? Looking at the universe and saying that “the Creator of the Universe is my Host taking care of me. I am His guest!” Looking at the universe and feeling secure in your existence.
The existence and physical world is giving security to your existence and helping you define who you are. Read the Quran in order to get the message that explains who you are. Even the Prophets might have nothing to do with your reality, even they might have been reduced to a historical figure, or a wise man, telling you what to do with your reality. That is how we are living: “I am here just dealing with requirements of life”, which has nothing to do with my human reality. You may be following a religion but be careful the religion you follow might have nothing to do with your reality i.e. defining who you are and what you are.
- Alas,religion is not used as a guidance to understand your human reality.
You may feel that you have money in your account and you are ok in this world. This has nothing to do with your human side. This is the age of alienation from our human reality. We do not feel existential pain, that is why we are not satisfied with our lives. I am a doctor, now what? When people congratulate you for your achievements, nothing should change because you are the same person as far as your human reality is concerned.
Things that we put value on are not essential to our humanity. Where is the breakfast that you enjoyed? It is gone. You cannot bring it back. It is only in the memory which leads to suffering because that is something that you enjoyed in the past. Our memory is also accompanied with us in space-time (in the future) in the form of imagination. “Yes, I enjoyed the breakfast but it is gone.” What am I doing in this world? We ignore to satisfy our humanity. We do not take notice of anything. We never listen to our human expectations unless a loved one dies, or a natural disaster comes about and only on severe occasion. Disaster is only temporary. We cover it up by sending money saying that I did my job. Did you take lesson from it? These are reminders telling us that anything can happen to you and what is your mission is in this world? Civilization puts us in a state alienating ourselves from ourselves.
Believing in the fact that I am created helps me understand who I am but believing in the Creator without having witness from His creation or as a result of one’s cultural background, takes us into following a certain religious tradition. When you follow religious traditions, it takes you to follow the rules which have nothing to do with who you are. It should rather have an effect on how you define yourself as a human being i.e. who I am.
Religion is not presented to define who I am. It is presented to us to be nice to others. Why will you be nice to others? This question needs to be answered in a way that satisfies our human expectations which are eternal. As far as my human reality is concerned, these teachings based on my humanitarian action construct my identity. When you do good action, you are proud of it and you feel satisfied while you live in this world, not a source of eternal satisfaction.
- Why are you satisfied? Correct/Human answer: Religion says that these senses need to be used to communicate with the Creator as the One giving you these senses.
God will reward you after you die is similar to saying get a job and I will pay you at the end of month. This has nothing to do with your reality. Working here and suffer so that I will be able to buy things. What does it have to do with me, who I am, my human side?
87:18 “where he neither dies nor lives”
It is a horrible situation if only we realize it, but we cover it up. In the psychological agony, we neither die nor live. We are living like a human being but not disappearing from existence either. Life is struggle you have to fight. We are here struggling for what? To die? Why are we struggling? Since we are here to struggle in order to get some benefit from the world, at the end everything will come to a dead end. Why am I struggling here? Everything will come to an end.
Life must be a source of enjoyment as we experience and receive the messages from the Source of existence and accordingly our spirit gets its nourishment and makes me feel sure that my existence is meaningful because as I live in this world, I am experiencing the manifestation and exposition of the qualities of my Creator and I am being introduced to Him as if I know who my Lord is, who my Host is and I am His guest. So, I will have a happy pleasant relationship with the Absolute Being, I belong to Him.
Quran emphasizes on the importance of trusting in God. We have a point of refuge, good news. Verse: “When in trouble, they remember God. When we remove the trouble, they forget”. (Zumer, 39: 8) Isn’t this our reality? We start struggling with problems of life in order to overcome them trying to have a comfortable life rather than a secure existence. All my existence, expectations are with the Absolute Being who is my Owner and gave me existence. Quran is full of examples of the life stories of Prophets and their opponents, believing people and non-believing fight each other. When the Prophets come, everyone opposes them. Example: you say we are going to be resurrected after we die, how come? Yes, the One who constructed your being (insha’a) from the beginning will deconstruct you. “I am not young anymore, I want this and that”. Whoever gave you this desire will satisfy it. That is the core of trusting in your Lord. If you believe in God, put your trust in Him because He has given you the need and desire. He constructed you with these qualities. Apart from Him, who will take care of your needs? Who is taking away every moment from your life but all human desires are expected to be satisfied and definitely your Host has constructed you with these needs.
Who is going to satisfy your need for Eternal Happiness? He will. This need is created by Him and it is a promise that He will satisfy it. Whoever constructed you will do it i.e. resurrect you. When we say, I want this. It means that you are constructed with this need. The One who constructed will satisfy it. It is a guarantee. If only you identify your being with Him.
Example: I am losing my health, but I want to be healthy. Whoever gave me the need to be healthy is going to satisfy it. Why would He construct me with this need otherwise?