Chapter Falaq – Part 5
Recap: How should I seek refuge with God from evil? If God has created evil, then it must be good since it is created by God. In that case, it is God’s problem, not mine. However, we cannot understand verses literally, we need to go beyond face-value meaning. The way to understand evil starts with knowing that everything in existence requires an understanding, a meaning or an interpretation. With this perspective, the way I view an event can become evil for me. In other words, interpreting something in the wrong way makes that thing evil for me.
Basically, how we look at an event or a thing, we have the free will to turn that thing into evil for me. My interpretation is based on my relationship with the event or thing. For example, when I get sick is not something that I look forward to. I do not want the sickness and want to be cured. However, the illness is given to me. I can choose to see this event of illness as something evil. My relationship with illness is such that I do not want it but, in that relationship, I am free to label sickness as evil which potentially leads to the source of the sickness as being evil. This is where my interpretation matters, and I need to reconsider my labeling of things. We should understand that the illness as it relates to me is something that I do not want. However, the existence of illness is a different matter. I must wonder at the existence of such an event. This should lead me to the Source of existence and seeing that my existence and this whole universe are coming from that Source. I search for a cure from that source.
- How one perceives a thing may turn an event which is good in its existence into evil?
- Example: If you are in pain through illness, this event either turn into evil for you or into something good?
Case: I am in severe pain, help me understand my situation.
There must be a cure for it in the order in creation, let me find out the cure. This even is created, I did not choose to acquire it. It is really how I view it, does it remind me of what I am, for example, I do not control any part of my breathing? This makes me realize that I do not control my being such as I am given existence every morning, and another moment is given, and I am made to breathe. Do I recognize that the existence of the illness must have an Existence Giver? That is the existence of the illness points to an Existence Giver. That is, I have someone who knows me and is taking care of me and also educating me through various ways of training.
Comment: What is training, for what?
First and foremost, we need to question why do we exist in this world? According to our answer to this very basic question every thing else gains its meaning or meaninglessness. For example, if I am asked to run to a certain place for no reason as far as I understand I prefer not to do it. If I am forced to run, then, it becomes a burden for me. But if I need to do exercises for my health reason and for this purpose I need to run, then, the same action becomes a source of pleasure for me and I do it happily.
Comment: But this Existence Giver is giving me illness now.
Yes, I do not like it but definitely there is a message in it letting me know about my reality.
Comment: Evaluating any action or the existence of anything within the context of what does it mean for me as a human being and for my human experience. Also, understanding events within the context of what is one’s aim and purpose of existence. Generally, when we think about the overarching aim, one thinks about happiness (it’s a universal endeavor). Everyone wants to be happy and it is about trying to investigate what is the source of happiness as I seek it in an ultimate sense. In a sense that it is uninterrupted and eternal happiness.
Is that a need to seek Eternal Happiness?
Comment: Yes, I recognize that need in myself and I search for it in all experiences of my life. I evaluate the experiences with regards to what it contributes and helps me in pursuit of that happiness.
The purpose of my existence is to reach happiness, one may conclude.
Comment: Yes, but it also requires understanding what happiness means for me, for instance, is it happiness that is fleeting? No. What brings me happiness in a sense that I need it. That is, happiness that brings me security in my existence.
We should not understand happiness as the pleasure of life that I experience only until I die, rather, looking at the pleasure from an existential point of view. Example: when I am hungry, I eat food and I enjoy it. Do you mean this type of happiness?
Comment: No. When I reach for the food, I am trying to satisfy an existential need there. I want that feeling of pleasure to be satisfied eternally.
What happens if the pleasure is temporary?
Comment: If it is temporary, then I will keep eating and eating and after a while it will stop giving me pleasure.
That is not human, is it?
Comment: I see that it is not the source of the happiness that I am seeking in the sense of eternally satisfying me.
Is there any way to turn this temporary happiness from one day pleasure to Eternal Happiness?
As a human being, I am not satisfied with temporary happiness. Anything temporary does not really satisfy my human need. On an occasion I maybe satisfied temporarily but my human side looks for Eternal Happiness. Eternal Happiness can only be found through the meaning of existence which points to the Eternal Source of Existence.
If I become satisfied with the existence of the Eternal Source of Existence, then I can attach my existence to that Eternal Source of Existence and the temporary pleasure I get from food (or any other activity that I enjoy in this universe) turns into Eternal Pleasure. (because source of existence of this pleasure must be an Absolute One by definition, so I attach my existence to this Absolute One and I am secure in my existence i.e. in the existence of my temporary pleasure.)
We must establish the connection from temporary pleasure to the need for Eternal Pleasure i.e. reach out Eternal pleasure through looking at the Source of Existence (SOE) of this temporary pleasure. The Source of Existence of this temporary pleasure can only be the One who gave existence to the sense of pleasure and this One cannot be within the universe. That is why this SOE of pleasure that I temporary get from food i.e. Creator of food and the Creator of the taste of the food cannot be within the universe. If we do not understand the underlined part, then we should stop talking about evil or anything in this world. We first must argue:
- Can the food be given existence by itself or can it be given existence by the universe itself?
Example: I got pleasure from food. That is, when I get hungry, I feel satisfied with food and get pleasure. This is a temporary event. I should first investigate the following:
- How can food come into existence?
- How does taste within the food come into existence?
- How does my tool of tasting (taste buds, mouth structure) come into existence?
- How does my understanding and expectations of Eternal and Permanent satisfaction happen in my being? In other words, where did I get this need for Eternal Satisfaction? It is something created within me.
I must question all this and then I can turn the temporary pleasure into a permanent pleasure by attributing the existence of the temporary pleasure to a need for Eternal Pleasure.
If someone does not reflect from the pleasure that s/he gets from the food, then this person cannot get eternal satisfaction within himself/herself. If s/he keeps eating food without reflecting, then food harms him/her and becomes evil for him/her. S/he enjoyed the food but her/his mind reminds human side that one day will come and this pleasure will disappear eternally, she will lose it forever. That remembrance turns every pleasure into a source of pain. The more pleasure we enjoy the more pain we gain when we remember that one day we will lose it forever. For example, if we know that we have $1 and we are going to lose it for sure, how much pain do I feel about knowing that it will not be with me anymore as compared to having one million dollar and knowing that you will definitely lose it soon?
ALSO, it is inevitable that any harm from eating food or some other event would be deemed as evil. This person cannot reason further because this person has never questioned the fundamental investigative questions (as set forth above).
- What is the Source of Existence of anything within this universe?
- When the basic question of what can be the source of existence of the food is not questioned then it is not possible to proceed further in reflecting!!!
Any thought related to any religious context must start from questioning the source of existence, i.e. question the existence of the thing being dealt with. For example, my existence, my feelings, expectations, fears, etc. Any claim that doesn’t question the source of existence will be a baseless claim and is not belief. If we do not start from the SOE of myself, my feelings, expectations, fears, needs, my pain…., then we cannot go further at all in our human endeavor. Again, any claim which omits the stage of human questioning will be futile/baseless. Example: you may say that my source of religious text tells me about “God”, but without proper reasoning of your human experiences, such claims are baseless, they do not satisfy human needs and it is not belief.
When I start questioning the SOE of anything that I like/dislike, I have to end up with the conclusion that the thing cannot be the SOE of itself or anything else within the universe because I observe that everything is dependent in its existence and nothing has the quality/power to give existence to anything else. So, I have to say: What is the Source of Existence of this thing/phenomenon that I experience/observe?
Whatever it is. Fear, Hope, Thinking… Even when we start thinking, we must question: How does the power to think exist? What is the Cause of Existence of this thinking power? If we do not start questioning and base our arguments on baseless claims (such as because scripture says so or science explains it), then the argument will be baseless i.e. an irrational claim. Because you must go further and say: why do you take the scripture as a source of reference for you and why do you take this particular scripture as your source of reference? There must be convincing reasoning behind it which requires questioning and then satisfaction about its reliability.
Comment: How do I internalize the concept of Eternity?
You are thirsty and you need a cup of water. When you drink the cup of water, it satisfies you and the cup of water finishes. You say that I am satisfied now, however, when the action of water finishes, my satisfaction and taste finishes. You know that from your previous experience that there must be a time that you will be thirsty again. If you conclude that this water comes from an ocean and the ocean is accessible to you, do you worry about being thirsty tomorrow? No. Because the Source is next to you. Now, we must understand (after the fundamental human questioning stage from the previous page that the SOE of a “limited” cup of water can only be a thing which cannot be of the kind of the universe. We must go through this. When a temporary pleasure fades away, you start thinking about tomorrow’s pleasure: “I was happy today but tomorrow, I do not know”. Specially, in this condition of very real world, I know that one day I will die, and I will not experience this pleasure anymore. As a result, a despair occurs in your experience. If you start questioning the SOE of that limited cup of water and come to the conclusion that the SOE of this cup of water cannot be the universe itself because everything like the water needs to be created and given existence, then you can understand a One that is your SOE is an Absolute Eternal One. The temporary pleasure that fades away, this pleasure will now be linked to the Source of existence of pleasure, must be an Eternal Being – thus my worries should dissipate knowing that I belong to an Absolute Source, just like having access to the abundant ocean.
Example: clouds, wind…need to be created. How do you explain the temperature change? How do you explain the existence of the process happenings in this world? Water molecule needs to be created. You then say: The SOE of this universe and the water cannot be within the universe. What does it mean? The SOE of water is the SOE of the whole universe because water is a part of the universe, and the whole of something cannot be the creator of its parts. To claim otherwise is not rational for the whole can only act with its own parts; the whole cannot have independent existence from its parts.
Look at the nature of this universe, you will realize that it is so sophisticated and changing of the universe takes place at the same time at every moment. The way the universe comes into existence is extraordinary. What do you conclude then? The Source of Existence must be Absolute, Eternal. Like the ocean next to you, now you find the SOE of that cup of water only is the Creator of the universe and you are within the universe and it is accessible to you now. “Whoever created the limited cup of water, the taste of the water, the pleasure with the water and the need in me for an Eternal limitless satisfaction secures my existence”. Death cannot be the end of existence — another subject. But we must understand that death is separation of body and spirit. It does not mean annihilation. Someone may lose his arm; does it mean that he has lost his concept of having an arm? No. Similarly, when you depart from this universe, does it mean that you lose your sense of wanting everlasting existence. No. That sense is with you. It means that I have two aspects (body and soul) of one existence, that is called a human being.
Human being consists of:
- human body and
- all the sensual side of the body called human soul.
Example: you have a power of sight and an eye; your power of sight is not your eye. Your eye is a tool for your power of sight to see. When your power of sight is gone, your eyes cannot see. In this sense, everything has life, even plants have life. Hence, separation of soul from body does not mean that my existence has extinct. I now understand that:
- my need comes from an Absolute Eternal Being.
- the means for satisfaction also comes from an Eternal Being.
- my existence belongs to that Eternal Being.
- my need for temporary and eternal satisfaction also belongs to that Eternal Being (EB).
Going back to the example of a cup of water and ocean accessible to you within your existence. This EB, we should not externalize it. That is, the actions of the Creator can be observed within your creation or the creation of anything else because it is the result of the act of creation. Nothing within the universe is explainable without attributing it to the eminent presence of its act of creation (i.e. pointing to its Creator) of that thing. If the act of creation does not function, can we explain the existence of anything? No, because we must attribute everything to the act of its Creator as nothing can sustain its existence by itself that is what we experience in the universe. Nothing can create itself and sustain its existence. Can you sustain your existence? No. You are continuously being changed. Can you stop it? No. This shows that we have no power over our existence. I can only use what is given to me.
- This is important to understand in order to get the Eternal Permanent Satisfaction for your desires: “In my human side, there are needs and I understand that those needs come from that Absolute being. The means of satisfaction to those needs must also come from that Absolute being. My existence belongs to that eternal being and that satisfaction that I am seeking must also come from that being. Permanent satisfaction to all desires must be from this being.”
Desires are of 2 kinds:
- hoping for something to happen to you.
- hoping something does not happen to you.
How can you guarantee any of that? Can you guarantee any accident not happening to you?
- In both kinds of desire, no one can guarantee any happening.
Can anyone guarantee anything – such as one’s existence tomorrow? Can anything in the universe guarantee my existence for tomorrow, for example can the sun guarantee that? I benefit from the sunlight, is sun now the source of existence of me? I inhale air, could air be the source of existence of my body? No! No! No!
Air is just a senseless tool created and prepared for you. You must question the source of existence of an air molecule. The error we fall into is that we think that the means are the SOE. Example: To think that the postman sends letter to me, rather the postman is employed by someone to deliver the letter to me. Similarly, if a friend does not send me a text message, can my phone produce a message for me? No.
Since all of us are under the heavy influence of secular education, it is not easy to unlearn it and we cannot find any other way of reasoning. What we usually do is that we escape into a source/scripture that satisfies our worldly expectations and we say, that is religion. Although our mind works in a secular way by attributing existence to matter itself, our human expectations do not get satisfied with this reasoning and we jump into religious sources (saying that fits me). However, that unsatisfactory human expectation (desire for eternal happiness) is in the back end of our mind because we may reason in a secular way and take religion for granted. We must combine both, i.e. question the SOE of everything and base your conclusion on an experiential base which is accepted by our reasoning and you feel satisfied with it.
- Secular reasoning would give the creation some qualities to be the guarantor of one’s existence or play a role. It is similar to saying that the text message on my phone is sent by the phone and not an agent who sent it to me. Another classical example is the postman being the deliverer of a package which was sent by your friend. This analogy shows how our minds may work in a secular reasoning. We may take affiliation with religion along, but it gets taken for granted with this secular approach where the source of existence is seen in the universe.
Again, do you think that the air molecule act on its own? Can the air molecule create itself? Is it independent in its existence? No. It must follow the order of the universe and it is the slave of something else and so many other things. Altogether, it follows the order of the universe. What is the SOE of the order of the whole universe? We must question. The Source cannot be within the universe because I am asking the source of everything within the universe because everything within the universe needs to be given existence and cannot be the source of its own existence. This is a fundamental understanding.
The mistake that we may fall into is take religious concepts and try to understand it with secular mode of reasoning. Question the way of thinking in a secular way: How acceptable/reasonable is it to reason in a secular way and what am I going to do with this information now? Example: vitamin d is given to the sun; the sun cannot be the creator of vitamin d because the sun itself needs to be created. Another example: The laptop is functioning according to the program. Can the laptop be the SOE of the program? No. What is the SOE of the program? Can I find it within the laptop or outside? It means the SOE is not within the universe. We must learn to reason here. Learn to reason to confirm your conclusion/belief. Is it correct what I conclude that the universe must have a Creator? How did I come to this conclusion? We must question everything we are interacting with.
Going back to our initial case, we are questioning the SOE of what seems to be causing pain. Here are two different cases of my relationship with objects in the universe:
- Something is created for a good reason and I misused it and it hurts me and so it (and its act of creation) becomes evil for me. Example: “knife and its use” to stab someone or surgical incision.
- Something happens in the universe not the result of my choice.Example: hurricane, tsunami or a drunken driver injures me.
When one interprets the event in the wrong way (your misconception of the creation of that thing), one may end up feeling sad about his/her being: “I am not lucky.” It causes depression in you because of misinterpreting the event.
Interpreting the event in the wrong way: “This event happened to me with no purpose and I became the subject of this bad event with no purpose.” Example: I did not choose the earthquake and so I say, why am I unlucky? Why was I subject to this bad event so that I feel unhappy and psychological pain about it?
- Something may happen to me which not a result of my choice, for example an earthquake happens, something not a result of one’s personal interference, how do we understand this? Another scenario is when something happens and because of my misconception of the creation of the thing and interpret that in the wrong way, causing depression, sadness. Wrong interpretation means that this event happened accidentally with no purpose and I was exposed to this without my choice. Why am I being subject to this event, I did not choose it? Some do not seem to get out of this. Many suffer from psychological pain because of misinterpretation of the events. One has to question how the event happens, looking at the creation of the event and question what is the source of existence of the event? For example, in getting sick, what can be the source of existence of the bacteria? In light of all these scenarios, I have to ask, what is the purpose of my existence in this universe? I must establish the purpose of my existence in this universe without copy pasting from other sources but one’s own conclusion.
Example: Illness- caused by microbes. What is the SOE of this illness? Who can create cancer cells? Put these questions at the background of the purpose of my existence. We first must establish:
- what is the purpose of my existence within this universe?
What is the purpose of my existence? I think I exist for the purpose of…
Comment: I think that I am created for happiness.
Why are you given this quality? How are you going to fulfill it? Can you create happiness or any other thing, but you want to be happy? I need something but I cannot realize it by myself. What is going on in this universe? How are you going to utilize it? Have you ever thought about it? My purpose is happiness, but happiness in which terms? Daily basis? Temporary events? Everything I want like a spoiled child.
Comment: Sure, ideally yes. I can get temporary happiness.
But can you get any satisfaction from it? In other words, can you fulfill the purpose of your existence by getting temporary things? No. That is obvious!
Analogy: A man was with a child and wanted to buy the child a toy. The man took the child to the toy shop. The shop was full of all varieties of toys that were mesmerizing. The child was asked: which toy do you want? The child looked all around and said that he wants all the toys. Then the same child was taken to another toy store and was asked the same question and his answer remains the same. Clearly, there is no denying that human nature spoke here where one wants the whole universe not temporarily but eternally. However, is there any end to this endeavor? No. What does this mean?
Human nature speaks such to look for such satisfaction. The satisfaction extends to eternity. Human satisfaction cannot be provided by the universe. Even if I am given the whole universe, what will I do with it? It is trouble to take care of the universe. What does then satisfy me? You do not need the universe as you know that the universe does not satisfy you. What does satisfy you in order to experience happiness which will never disappoint you?
I am looking for eternal happiness, where do I get it?
Where can you get Eternal Happiness?
Only through questioning, thinking and reflecting on existence and if you find the SOE which is Absolute and attach the existence of your happiness to an Eternal Source: “Only He can satisfy your need for eternal happiness.” That is the objective and purpose of my life i.e. to find the source of eternal happiness. I need to attach my existence to this source of eternal happiness.
Comment: How do I find my purpose?
Become aware by reflecting, reasoning, remembering that whatever I need is created and the source of existence of that creation can only be the Absolute One. I can only get satisfaction by attributing the existence of this thing to an Absolute One. If I am satisfied with this, then I am satisfied with the result. The result is the SOE of anything that I desire for my happiness is the Eternal Absolute One.
In the glass of water (which is limited) and ocean example, how big the glass of water is not important because your expectation of existential satisfaction is limitless. You cannot get limitless glass of water within the universe. If you know that the Source is limitless and the Source is accessible to you through reflecting on your existence, then you say that my expectation of happiness (limitless or Eternal) can only be possible by the SOE of this expectation within me: “I did not create my needs, I find myself with the need for Eternal Happiness”. In the existence of the need itself, I see nothing but the act of Creator of that thing. This Source of the act of creation in that thing must be Absolute. That is what we must conclude and keep remembering that this SOE is Eternal and Absolute. It is present in everything because everything is created and sustained only by the SOE of that thing which is Absolute.
Just as when I sit still, I am being created now by whoever is giving me existence. The concept of Creator (in religious language called ‘God’) should never be externalized from our existence. He is the Maker of me right now. This making process is constant because the Source is Absolute. If it is not Absolute, then it cannot be the Creator of that thing.
- We need to understand that this Absolute One we are all seeking must not be externalized from our existence as this being is the Source of existence of my being and the whole universe. So, there is a continuous link between my existence and the One who gives existence.
Comment: I find myself existing with needs/wants and relationship with everything around me. I then conclude that the things themselves cannot be the SOE of themselves as they are dependent. I then conclude that the SOE of these things must not be of the nature of this universe i.e. Absolute (by definition). So, the one who gave me this need of hunger is the One who can satisfy this need eternally. Once I come to this realization and attach my need for anything to the Source which is Absolute, that means at every single moment, I am connected to a Source and that should satisfy my need.
Let us take this example: Sun and the light coming from the sun. If sun stops emitting light, can you get any light? No. As long as you get light, you are feeling the act of the sun eminent in the light that you got. That is, God is with you. (The concept of ‘Emanuel’, ever present God in Hebrew language refers to this). We see that the universe is continuously in need to be given existence because there is no SOE in this universe.
- When the SOE is giving existence, then it means that it is eminent in the act of creating.
- Any time at any place Its presence is there. That is what we conclude. We do not start with our conclusions such as God is here, No! I can only explain the existence of anything that I experience in this universe as “it must be given existence by a One who is the source of its existence. There is no other way.
In the example of the sun and the light, let’s say that I do not know the existence of the sun, but I am experiencing the light. As long as I get the light, it means the sun is acting and emitting light. I do not have to see the sun to be convinced about its existence. As long as I experience light, that is enough a proof that sun exists and is acting. You do not have to look for the sun, for as long as you have the light that is enough guarantee that sun is acting.
As long as I exist, I am sure that the Creator is acting. We do not think of the matter from the Creator’s point of view because we cannot imagine Absolute. I must use existence. Existence is the witness to its Creator. In the Islamic literature, there is mention of “Shahid and Mashud” (God is witnessed and witness at the same time). In everything, I see the act of its Creator and I also witness and see that the Source of existence must be ever present in creation by looking at the act of creation. It may seem apparently contradictory, the witness and the witnessed. In other words, the actor is witnessed as a witness. Without proper interpretation, some people may say that Quran describes God with contradiction.
Comment: As long as I exist or something exists, then the Creator is acting. Is there a difference between connecting something that exists to its source and making sure that I continue to exist? I know that as long as I exist, I belong to a One that is Absolute but how can I be secure that I will always be in existence?
One by herself/himself cannot secure that they will always be in existence. But one can understand that their existence belongs to an Eternal One. As long as Eternal Source exists, It will be in action in your existence as well because your existence belongs to It. Let us take the faucet and water analogy—if this water is supplied by the ocean and as long as the ocean is there, do you think that the faucet will keep supplying water? Yes. Even if you use the faucet once but you know that as soon as you turn it on, the faucet will keep supplying water. As long as you remember where you get the water from, then the source of the supply is guaranteed for you. In other words, the SOE is the Absolute One for you. In the language of the Quran it is referred as “I am always coming from my Creator and departing to Him.” (inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raajioon). Unfortunately, the concept of this verse is mostly taken to a very limited meaning in the culture.
Am I not always experiencing “inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raajioon” coming from God and departing/ turning towards God?
Yes, since eternity is in my creation. My existence is tied to the eternal source. We go through different phases of existence from a cell to what we are now. Example: were you not a child once? Yes. Where is your childhood? Gone. Do you still exist? Yes. Although your existence has almost infinite phases within the conditions of this universe, the change within the type of your existence never means that you lost your existence. Change of phases doesn’t mean my existence is disappearing but the phases are preserved by its source of existence. “Raajioun” means my existence is not going into annihilation, I can guarantee my future by attributing the existence of my future to the Absolute Source.
Some of you are young right now and hopeful to be given old age coming up. As far as you are concerned, your youth is not with you any more, rather it is with your memory. The memory is a sign that you still keep with you the fact that you were a child. As a cell, you had a different type of existence. As a fetus in mother’s womb, yet another type of existence. Even in the cell of the first man created, you were present there. It means that your existence millions of years ago was different. Do you remember any of it? No. From seed you became a sampling and then a tree –>old tree. Again, the change of the phases of your life does not mean that your existence is disappearing. The order in the universe shows that you will go through different phases, but your existence will be preserved by its Source of Existence. That is why the Quran says it that this universe is a Speech from the Creator and you are not going into annihilation, rather returning to your Creator. Which means that you can guarantee your future by attributing the existence of your future to an Absolute Source. Returning DOES NOT mean that I came from point A to B and going back to A in a material sense. Ridiculous understanding since every moment I am subject to change and my body is changing! Rather, it means that only you can guarantee the existence of your future by referring it to your SOE which is Eternal.
- This means that in OUR UNDERSTANDING, we must turn our existence to its Eternal Source.
The Quran is the Speech of your Creator to help you understand your human needs i.e. give answers to your questions. That is why the Quran must be understood in terms of my comprehension of existence, not in physical terms. It is a guide to teach me why I exist, making me realize the reality of my existence and that I have to turn my existence to its source which is what realization of the eternal Source of Existence (Ghaib) is i.e. belief, realization of your reality. The SOE is always in ghaib.
- Physical experience of the Source is impossible, but my interpretation must be to logically conclude about my Source of Existence, i.e. in my understanding of (Ghaib) Absolute. Quran guides one to belief.
What is ghaib? Ghaib means impossible to experience physically, rather a logical comprehension and understanding is necessary, the latter part is called ‘ghaib’ or Absolute. Again, it is impossible to experience SOE physically, we just experience the universe physically. The Creator of the universe is not of the nature of this universe that I experience.
Quran addresses your feelings, your questions and it is theoretical, not a physical experience. Your understanding of your existence must be interpreted by referring your existence to its Source. You cannot return your body to its Source as the body continuously changes by its Creator. We are experiencing a constant existence here and so you must understand that you have to return your existence to its source in your understanding in ghaib (which means Absolute). Now, you can guarantee that your existence is infinite (not that you are going to keep your existence infinitely here in this type of existence that we are experiencing now) because the Source of your existence is infinite, so you belong to infinite. When you realize this that your existence belongs to Infinite, then you turn your everything (your existence) to its Eternal Source.
- Belief is an understanding.
- Belief is a confirmation of your conclusion which needs to be confirmed with evidence. You must have a satisfied heart in your belief.
Human being cannot attribute their existence to anything physical of this universe. So, we must understand our existence at an intellectual level i.e. How can I make sense of my existence and make sense of my eternal expectations of my existence? That is why the Quran is the source of belief in ghaib/Absolute i.e. what I cannot know within this universe. The Quran says that I can help you know it. In other words, the Quran gives you intellectual guidance.
Most of the problems rise from misunderstanding the mission of the Quran. Most people talk about Quran in physical form, rather it is a matter of belief, abstract form, theoretical, not physical. Yes, we see the universe physically, e.g. the glass of water exists physically. When I start questioning the SOE of water which is physical, I conclude an intellectual conclusion (Source must be Absolute, is it physical? No.) If you can confirm this intellectual conclusion and feel satisfied with it, then it becomes your belief. That is what the Quran guides you to belief. The Quran does not teach you how the order in the universe works.
In summary, anything evil that we experience must be either by our misusing it or something happens to me outside my freewill. How do I perceive this event according to the purpose of my existence? If someone does not specify what the purpose of his/her existence (POE) is, then he cannot understand anything.
If some says that my POE is to satisfy my existence until I die, then this assumption is not human and therefore wrong. Because I want eternal happiness which cannot be stopped by death.
- I want happiness which is eternal. How can I find it? By interpreting this need for happiness and attributing it to the One who creates this sense of need for eternity. Only the One who creates the universe can be the SOE of my need for Eternal Happiness.
My purpose of existence is to find out this Source who can satisfy my need for Eternal Happiness. Find it, communicate with it and attach your existence to It. If I explain my POE by attributing it to my SOE as to be the eternal one, then I can understand that any damage that happens to me within the life of this world, I must interpret it in terms of not the life of this world, rather in terms of its Eternal Creator.
- I may be hurt here, as a result of this hurt, do I get Eternal hurt or do I experience something temporal?
Why is this kind of temporary pain created is the question?
- Through this temporary pain, you understand that you cannot be the SOE of yourself because you cannot prevent yourself from feeling pain though you do not want it. You cannot be the SOE of the pain that you are experiencing neither can you be the SOE of the cure for it.
- With your consciousness, you realize that I am given the opportunity to understand that my existence does not belong to me and I cannot control it and it is under the control of something else.
- Did you find the Eternal Source of Existence now? It is not within the universe. You attach the SOE of this pain to its eternal source. You then achieve the POE by finding out that through this pain/experience you realize that you are not the SOE of yourself (but something else is). It is a humbling experience where you realize that you do not own yourself. It is a WAKE-UP call!!
When you interpret any event as “this is from my Creator and I should not attribute anything to myself and feel that I am self-sufficient”, then you are on the way to fulfilling the purpose of your existence. If we never experience any pain, temporariness and need that someone will satisfy this need, then what can we conclude? I am self-existing, and I do not need a Creator (I do not need to find out the SOE because I do not experience the lack of anything) and I exist by myself. Only through experiencing goodness and lack of goodness, we go through this training.
The universe is the training center to get to know what the source of your existence is. The purpose of your existence is fulfilled when you realize this. That is why death is given. If death is not given, then it means that I should not get old and I should be self-sustaining/subsistent. If I am self-subsistent, then do I need a SOE? Can I say that I am a self-subsistent being?
Again, through different experiences, I should understand that I belong to an Absolute source. The purpose of my existence is to realize that I do not belong to myself or anything else within this universe. Otherwise, if there was only what I think good and not what I may temporarily think evil, then I would never be trained to fulfill the POE.
If someone does not have the concept of Eternal Existence and coming from an Eternal Source and describes this universe as a material lump and death is the end of my existence, then this person cannot bear anything created which makes this person feel needy and a temporal being not able to guarantee his existence. He has to get angry with anything he dislikes and calls it evil.
Nothing in creation is evil. Even when I burn my hand, it makes me realize that I cannot guarantee my life and I do not control my life. Experiences are given to us for a reason. For how many days does a person experience illness in their lives? A couple of years more or less during our life span. We have to experience what we do not like.
- If there was no option of experiencing pain, then there would be no way to fulfill POE and we would be misleading ourselves saying that I am self-sustaining. That is not reality!
- We have to see that pain is created for a purpose, in order to make sure that SOE of pain needs an Eternal Creator.
Finally, illness is a lack of something. Question the SOE of the germ and you will find out that it has a purpose. Its purpose in existence helps me fulfill the purpose of my existence. Look for the reason that explains your existence. Do not cheat yourself with temporary satisfaction because we cannot be satisfied with temporary satisfaction.
- Make your human needs active! My satisfaction is only possible if it is connected to an Eternal Source.
In order to reach Absolute, we must go through different stages of reasoning (as mentioned earlier). Static creation does not give you the opportunity to learn and develop. That is, if there was no ignorance, then there would be no learning. If there was no pain, then there would be no way to realize that I do not guarantee my happiness and I am not the SOE of my happiness. This creation (and everything that we experience with it) is for a purpose!!!
Tags: Absolute Source, Al-Falaq, Belief, Daybreak, Eternal Happiness, Eternal Pleasure, Eternity, Falaq Series, Freewill, Needy, Pleasure, Refuge, Secure Exsitence, Shaheed, Source of Existence, space-time, Temporariness, Temporary Satisfaction