Chapter A’la – Part 9

87:16 “But you prefer the worldly life,

The meaning of the word “athara” means relate to something. “tu’thiroona” means prefer or adore. That is, adoring something in comparison with another thing.

What do you understand from “worldly life”? We are living in this world, should we despair in this life? What does it mean for you to live in this life?

Comment: Attributing qualities to the objects. Example: if I eat an apple thinking the apple will give me good health. It is an attitude.

That attitude makes your understanding of eating “worldly”. Living in this world is different from “worldly life”. In the language of the Quran, “worldly” is used in contrast with other worldly. The meaning of “akhira” includes everlasting as well but not only everlasting. We have to see from our perspective in this world. What makes life worldly is adoring the values of this world independent of what it refers to. In other words, seeing this world as the source of value. When we adore this worldly life, we see this world as the source of value for us. That is why if you prefer and adore the value of the things which looks to this world, it means temporary and it’s not really true because the world by itself has no value because of its transient nature (if you think about it seriously). If you attach value to it, then you are doing something wrong. It does not mean that we should deprive ourselves with the life conditions in this universe, it does not mean that I should not be eating the apple for example because I prefer the other life i.e. it should not mean that I prefer not to benefit from the qualities of this world.

I am put in this world by my Creator in need of the productions of this world. If I need to drink water, then there is nothing wrong with it, otherwise it would be the mistake of the One who puts me in this condition. Worldly life must be understood as making the life pertaining to the conditions of this world only. This world only means that I live in this world in order to satisfy my need and this is what it is all about as far as my life is concerned. What are we supposed to do then? It should not mean that we should have nothing to do with this world. Rather, we should not attach any value to the parts of this world at all because any part of this world has no quality to be the Source of Existence of anything or its values. What are we expected to do here? You can eat apple, pineapple or the most expensive fruit. That is not the point. The point is that while you are interacting with the parts of this world or the benefits we see in this world, we have to know that these material benefits are only for my transient world because the world itself is transient set up according to the transient need of human body. But what makes me human being is my human qualities never get satisfied with transient things. My humanity is always in the lookout for Permanent Perfection. The world is not permanent and it cannot be perfect in anyway at all because it is totally dependent on something else. We should prepare our mind with what “akhira” means.

Comment: Can you elaborate more on material side?

Our feelings are related to this world but our consciousness uses our feelings and that is how humanity works. Consciousness uses human feelings and tries to make sense of it. Example: you drank coffee and you enjoyed the taste and smell. Is there anything wrong to enjoy the coffee’s taste? No. This sense is given to us to taste coffee and then consciousness interferes. What is the main function of human consciousness? It questions the meaning of it. Animals also like good taste. Consciousness is the aspect of human spirit which questions the meaning of everything we experience in this world. Consciousness interferes and you are free to pay attention to your consciousness or not. Consciousness says, what does it mean? Why do I enjoy it? What is enjoyment? You are free to question or ignore it. You may try to adore it by attaching value to the taste itself. Consciousness says what does it mean? Why do I enjoy it? If you respond to the questioning side of consciousness, your human abilities tell you that the source of the taste cannot be coffee. Coffee does not know you. Your tongue is a means, it does not know you and the tongue does not know the taste. But the qualities are given to them in order to question it. We have to keep our consciousness alive and we have to be in correspondence with our consciousness always. The questioning side of human beings, awareness of the values of something and questioning it. Example: I know that coffee tastes nice, animals are also aware of that. Question the taste.

87:17 “But the Everlasting Life is better, and more enduring.

Akhira means the end of something or end result of something. What is the end-result of this life? Human consciousness leads us to question this. What is the end-result of enjoying the coffee? What value you attach to part of this world? Human beings can only get satisfaction with something which is permanent and perfect. If someone says that I do not want Permanence and Perfection, I just want to entertain myself on a temporary base hour by hour, enjoy it and done. How do you describe this person? I describe this person as an animate being. Human beings are conscious of their reasoning. What does it mean? I am reasoning. How come I reason? Consciousness asks this question. Consciousness is such a thing that it makes you aware of everything including its own existence. Which kind of quality is it? It is miraculous. You can ask why am I a conscious being? How come that I am conscious? In the universe, there is no consciousness as far as I can see. My body consists of the parts of this world which cannot be the source of existence of any kind of consciousness but I have consciousness. Consciousness asks the question, it asks how come it exists, why does it exit, what am I going to do with it?

What does akhira mean? Next life has not come yet for me right now. I have to be able to see next life in my daily practice of this world. How can I see next life now? Using this life as a jumping board and going to the end of the purpose of the existence of whatever I am interacting with. Example you breathe, you see and you hear. The purpose of existence of any object is its akhira, what they refer to. Unless we use our consciousness and question how come they exit, why they exist, then we come to the point of what they refer to. That is akhira. Example: you go to school which lasts four years. What is the akhira of this College studies? Get a degree which will be the starting point of a new type of life. That is the akhira of being educated. What is the akhira of eating the apple?

Answer: Getting energy and nourishment.

Animals also get nourishment and energy. We are not animals at all. As a human being, what do you get out of it? Your body gets nourishment but your humanity expects something else which is really the meaning of this action of nourishing.

Comment: The apple was created to satisfy my need for hunger.

How do we reach this conclusion step by step?

First, human consciousness asks these questions: How come it exits? How come the need for nourishment exists? Why am I put in this relationship? What puts me in this connection where I am in need of the apple and I enjoy its taste? I am in need of energy that I receive through the apple. Can the apple be the Source of Existence of energy? Can the apple be the Source of Existence of Nourishment? Can the apple be the Source of acknowledgment of my needs? Consciousness urges you to ask these questions. When you start questioning this side, you are looking for the end result in the existence of the apple, in the existence of the need, in the existence of the relationship between you and the apple. Apple does not know you and you do not know how apple is coming into existence? You just see that it is growing on the tree. Who is arranging it? What is arranging it? These are the questions that we have to ask. As we get answers to these questions, we try to read the answers in the end results in the existence of the apple. That is human activity. Eating apple is not human activity. It is our animal side which is not a human activity. Human activity is trying to get the end result in the existence of the things that is human.

Eternal life has a restricted meaning. Why is “akhira” better?

Comment: something that is Permanent and Perfect.

What is the best translation of Akhira?

Comment: the end-result of something.

The ultimate purpose in the existence of the things is akhira.

Comment: termination.

There is nothing terminated in creation. Akhira is the end-result. In my own existence as well, I should ask myself: Why do I exist? What is the purpose of my existence? We need to look for the purpose of our existence. Consciousness asks this question: What are you expecting from your existence? Whatever expectations you come up with is the akhira of your existence.

This world exists in order to give the harvest of end-result. Just as you go to school in order to get a degree. Similarly, you eat the apple in order to question the Source of Existence of the apple and relate it to all the actions you are encountering within yourself and the apple. That is the only way you can reach your “akhira” of eating the apple, your akhira of the existence of your need for the apple, your akhira of the existence of the taste of the apple. These are all meaningful activities.

Akhira is better. Why is that?

Comment: Because it fits my human expectations.

Akhira corresponds to my human side. My body side is transient and perishable. We will leave the body in the graveyard, do not worry about it. Why do we nourish our body physically? Through these interactions with the things that we eat, your consciousness questions the reason of existence of these interactions so that you will get your answers in order to satisfy your human queries. So that your humanity will calm down, not only your stomach will calm down when you eat satisfied food. But your humanity still wants satisfaction. How can humanity get satisfaction?

• By questioning the Source of these events and what they refer to? Why do these kinds of things happen where I do not get everlasting satisfaction?
• Your humanity needs answer to these questions.

When you get satisfactory answers pertaining to your human needs, you are satisfied. The meaning refers to something that is Perfect and Permanent. How do we know that? When we question the Source of existence of any event, for example, the existence of the apple is miraculous, the taste in my tongue is wonderful and my brain, how it works is miraculous! Even more miraculous is the relationship between my human qualities, my human body and something external to it.

Example: In the phenomenon of breathing, body is here, air molecules are there, what does it mean? How do they correspond? Similarly, in the phenomenon of eating, body is here and apple is there, again how do they correspond? This relationship is much more important than the existence of the apple or air molecule. Usually, people say that apple is created in a perfect way and the existence of the apple refers to the fact that its Creator is the Creator of the whole universe; otherwise the apple cannot come into existence by another source. Any part of this universe cannot be singular in its existence neither can they be plural. Even if all the elements of the universe come together even if they had freewill, they could not give existence to one apple.

The fundamental elements of this universe are nothing but particles. Particles have no qualities to do anything. They exist as they are created. What does the existence of everything refer to? It refers to a source which is not confined to the qualities or limits of this universe. What is it then? Something not of this universe. This something must not be subject to anything else and it must be independent within its existence otherwise it cannot be the Source of Existence of anything. If something is dependent, it cannot be the Source of Existence of anything. We understand that this something must be self-sustaining, self-existing and we cannot give any limitations to its being, it means that it is Absolute.

When you understand that the Source of Existence of everything is out there and I am put in contact with the things in order to reach the Absolute One, you get the end-result or the “degree.” If human side is not satisfied with it, what else do you want? What are you expecting? Eternal, Self-Existing, Permanent One is the Source and you belong to It.

• Why is akhira better? Because apple nourishes you today and tomorrow you are hungry again, eating again and the body dies and becomes compost. What are you going to do with it? But through these transactions we deduce the Source of our existence and we understand that we belong to it, this Source is Absolute, and it is Perfect.

Comment: What kind of life is one living when you are making a connection to an Absolute One? The form of existence you are in does not need to change in a sense that you do not need some transformation to reach an afterlife, if I am able to reach it right now, how is my life changing? It is not my worldly life at this point, it is rather a state of being that is elevated, enlightened or reached its potential.

Apparently, the Prophet was eating the date and was sleeping. Abu Jahl was also eating the dates and sleeping. Apparently, there was no difference. These are figures representing best and worst scenarios. As far as the condition of this worldly life is concerned, they are living in the same way. There is not difference, what is the difference in the life of these two figures?

Comment: It has to do with one’s worldview. If you attribute qualities as coming from the objects and events, then that is how you value your life, bound to die. Whereas, if you see events as pointing to an ultimate purpose, then that is your worldview and death is just part of your existence i.e. who you are.

Yes, one of them thinks of his life in terms of only transient and temporary satisfaction, waiting to be killed. On the contrary, while the other one is eating apples, what does he experience in his consciousness? I belong to the Creator of this apple. I belong to the Creator of the taste of the apple. I belong to the Creator of the actions that I found myself put in relationship with the need of apple. I am in need of it and it is prepared for me. All full of purposes.

When you utilize the purposes in the existence of everything, what do you get? Your humanity says that I belong to the Eternal Being. That is your worldview. It means in understanding and appreciating the value of your existence: Why do I exist? I exist in order to experience the manifested qualities of the Creator of these endless actions (matter and everything), whatever your consciousness urges you to question. You start seeing yourself so valuable that I am the work of the Absolute Being. Live this world not to die but live this world in order to wait for the transformation period by attaching yourself to the Source of your Existence. You are continuously experiencing this and death will be the graduation ceremony. Every day you go to class and you learn something. Learn and learn and at the end you become an engineer, let’s say. Every day you are getting step by step closer to the end result.

In every action if I really listen to what consciousness urges me to do, then I am getting the “degree.” Degree means the realization; Paradise is something you experience in this world, it must be so, it is obvious. If I do not feel Paradise while living in this world, if I do not see akhira really better for me, then how can I deserve Paradise? Why should I deserve Paradise? I am not really experiencing it. How can I believe in the existence of Paradise anyways? What is your evidence? Paradise must be lived and practiced in this world so you will continue experiencing its lasting effects after you die.

Comment: What do you mean by experiencing the “degree?”

Experiencing degree in this world while you are interacting with anything and questioning the Source of Existence of all the actions related to this transaction. How come this action exists? What does it mean for me? What do I get? They are coming from Absolute Being. I am important for myself, this world is not important for me. I am not worrying about the sun and mountains… How does the meaning of my existence benefit me? What should I get out of it? When my humanity gets satisfied that I belong to the Absolute One, problem is solved. You do not worry about anything but you take care of your worldly life. Why? Because only through the interactions that we establish between the things and myself, I realize the Source of these interactions in any event to be the Absolute One. That is why I have to eat. If you do not eat, then how would you know the Absolute One? You have to see, hear, taste…

Comment: It seems that it does not matter whether your worldly interaction is positive or not because you can still reach the conclusion of Permanence and Perfection irrespective of the conditions of your worldly life. Someone is super happy with their life and someone who is physically in agony, they both can reach Permanent satisfaction with the Quranic methodology.

The one in agony is supposed to ask the question of the existence of the pain. How come it exists? What does it mean I am experiencing it? Similarly, the one experiencing abundant happiness needs to ask the same. As far as the existence of this universe is concerned, everything is equal. However, we are created with the sense to like pleasure not agony. We should seek pleasure so that we will look for the Source of Existence of pleasure that our human side will be satisfied with. Our human side cannot get satisfaction with anything in this world. Our human side gets satisfaction only with finding the Permanent and Perfect Being, Source of Existence, your Creator, the One who gives you existence within these conditions and qualities. When you find It, you are satisfied: “I belong to It”. There is no other way for a human being to get fully satisfied in their existence.

Think about it, when you get the degree from school, what happens? You will get a good job, then you will retire and go to your permanent residence. Where is permanent residence?

Comment: Wherever I came from.

In this world, it is the graveyard. What are you going to do there? Rot. If you live in this world like this, what is it worth? Getting ready to become compost which is ultimately pointless. We have to make use of this world and body in order to attach our existence to its Source. When you understand that your existence belongs to the Absolute One, that understanding takes you to the Absolute One. You understand your Source of Existence and you attach your existence to the Absolute One. Absolute by definition means Eternal and more enduring. We have to make comparisons and that is why the Quran speaks to human beings in terms of their own capacity. Do I prefer this world or anything that satisfies me better? When you make this distinction, you understand the reality. It does not mean that the end result of this world is better than the world itself; rather, this world by itself is nothing as compared to a Permanent One. This world has no accomplishments as far as satisfying my humanity is concerned whereas the end-result has 100% accomplishment which is better as per the language of the Quran. We have to make comparisons looking for the better option.

87: 18 “This has been revealed in the previous scripts,

What do we understand from all the messages revealed previously? Why am I referred to the previous scripts?

Comment: Past experiences that I am aware of where the message was always available.

In human history, human beings have always been in need of this revelation and they have been given this news. What is the significance of this verse that human beings have been given this guidance? Human beings have always been in need of this understanding and realization. It is not only you who are receiving this message, wherever humanity existed, this message existed because humanity never changes. Anyone at anytime is provided this message since the beginning of time. This is not only your problem right now. Every human being needs this guidance so that they can make sure that their own destiny i.e. where they are going and what is happening to them is on the right track.

Why does the verse refer to previous human experiences?

Comment: The mere existence of any object is evidence of an Eternal Source. The fact that the message has previously existed is evidence of Eternity.

When we refer to historical revelations, we see that human civilizations are changing and life conditions are changing. Guidance from the Creator comes to human being to adjust their life according to the life conditions in which they are created. However, the essential message is the same. Let’s say thousands of years ago, people did not know what atomic energy was. Does this make any difference pertaining to their seeking guidance? No they are given life opportunities (suitable to scientific advances of that time) to get end result in everything they experience.

Some people are experts in one subject and others in another. As long as we are human beings, the end-result is the same. If you do not know what a cell is, don’t you know that the tree is growing out there and you have eyes to see and other tools to be used. The change of civilization does not change the question that human consciousness asks. How come the mountain exists for example? In order to fulfill the purpose in your existence, you do not have to specialize in a particular technical subject.

87: 19 “the revelations of Abraham and Moses.

These are well known figures as the addressees of the Quran. What it is saying is that we will find the same message in the revelation of Abraham and Moses. We have to understand that in the narration of Quran and Torah, every Prophet historically specialized in one topic. Why is that since they bring the same message in essence?

Comment: Just as in the workplace, you have people specializing in one area and covering different aspects of the same objective in order to reach the objective.

What is the wisdom in the narration of the Quran that Adam was thought all qualities of the Creator? Quran brings the message which includes the ultimate aim of existence of everything i.e. to acknowledge all the qualities manifested in creation. Teaching Adam all names giving him the ability to acknowledge the manifested qualities of the Creator represents potentially there. Every prophet made one potentiality into capability or represents it. It means that every Prophet manifested the best capacity of human beings in order to understand the manifestations of one particular name (quality) of God. In the history, we are thought only 26 names of the Prophets. It means that every Prophet was an expert on one quality of the Creator to present it. Quran says that “I am the conclusion of all this.” That is why in the life of the Prophet Muhammad, we do not see him as an expert in one quality. Example: Solomon is expert for admisntering in a miraculous way (one quality). David is expert in leading a chorus (one quality). Jesus is expert for healing, again a quality. What is the specialty of Prophet Muhammad since every Prophet is taught a path to spiritual perfection?

Comment: Prophet Muhammad encompasses all human potentialities into abilities.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has no specialty as far as the narration we hear from the Quran tells us. We hear about specialty/miracles of Moses but not much about Muhammad. One verse says Muhammad is the Messenger of God. What is Muhammad’s specialty?

Verses in the Quran say: “they are asking for a miracle from you. If you were the Prophet of God, show us miracles”. To which the Prophet replies: “Miracle is my message”. Also hadith narration says that every Prophet had miracles and my miracle is the Quran. It means that the message of the Quran encompasses and includes all messages of the previous Prophets. Through the message of the Quran, we will experience the manifestation of all names of God if we are able to decipher it and the line of Prophet-hood reveals to us that God gave us the potentiality to know all Its names i.e. acknowledge God with all his qualities and each Prophet came with one specialization. This is miracle of the Prophet and it means khatam anbiya (conclusion of all messages is included in the Quran).

You can acknowledge your Creator if you follow the guidance of Quran in any aspect you like. You can understand God with all Its names, Quran teaches you how to do that. Quran is all encompassing as far as acknowledging the various qualities of the Creator of the universe. That is why the Quran says I am the last. Quranic language is vague (allegory) form one aspect and from another aspect it is inclusive and not limited. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not interpret the Quran verbally like a scholar; he just presented it to the companions as it is and put it into practice in his personal life. Prophet did not write commentary on the Quran. Why?

Example: Quran says: lailaha illahu, what does it refer to? Nothing in this world can be the Source of existence of anything but It. Do you see the vagueness? I have to define what “It” means? I have the potentiality to define as an Omnipotent One, all Wise One, Knowledgeable One, One who gives life and death… I can understand that “It” in the language of the Quran includes all the qualities of the Creator depending on my field of investigation. If I really question it, who is “It”, through every experience (whatever is created), I will end up saying that: “the One who creates this apple must be the Source of beauty.” I acknowledged one quality of the Creator manifested in the existence of the apple. Whoever created this apple must be the Form Giver. The Creator of this useful event must be the Source of Wisdom. If we use the method introduced in the Quran, we can decipher all the qualities of the Creator. We do not have to be specializing in one quality only. Christian community says Jesus was the Healer. Quran refers to certain names in historical context, but in the language of the Quran, they were very good and the best worshippers (’abd), acknowledgers of God. We call them “Rasools,” Prophets, and Messengers who brought the message to us. These are just examples. Every community, the Quran says, was sent a Messenger.

Verse: wa likullI kaumin haad, “for each people we send a guide”. That is, there is no community which has not received guidance, but we have to know from where to get this guidance. It means God has been revealing Itself through examples of the Prophets which kind of qualities that Prophet manifested in this world and the Quran presents them in a concrete way, not as an abstract subject. That is why we find that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was not specialized in any subject which is miraculously presented to human beings, but the Qur’anic message encompasses the meaning of those miracles. Example: Solomon flew, and everyone saw him. Moses’s staff swallowed the serpents and every one saw it. These are miracles. What did Muhammad do? Muhammad’s miracle is not like that. Ascension was not a miraculous action observed by human beings. That is why we have to understand the Quran and make use of it as much as we can. Not just by specializing in one subject.