Chapter Falaq – Part 8

113:4 “and from the evil of those who blow on knots,”

Recap: If we do not have the right attitude about creation, then we have complications or weak points within ourselves.  This attitude of not being settled in our existence gives opportunity for others to blow on it or exploit us.  With this attitude, I open myself up for exploitation (blow on my weaknesses) by others.  One knot is from within me, related to my relationship with other people and creation.  Example: My employer is the source of my income.  This is giving the opportunity to my employer to exploit this thinking (blow on my weaknesses) as if I am indebted to the employer.  Only when I realize that it is not my boss who is the Provider of my everything, rather the Source of my Existence, then I will not become enslaved to anything else.  Unsolved and unsettled decisions within me give opportunity to other things to exploit me.  Example: we may take social security or an insurance company as to be the Source of our security.

• When I accept my reality and the One who created me with my reality which needs an Absolute Source to trust, then I am comfortable with Him.

Is the Owner of the universe going to exploit me?  No.  If I acknowledge His authority over me and I accept that what I expect to have in this world and the next is in His hand, then is that exploitation?  No.  I am totally dependent on the Owner of the universe.  Are you going to lose anything by submitting yourself to the Owner of the universe? 

• When I lay my trust in the Owner of the universe, do I feel depressed? Do I lose my hope?    If you trust in the state, can the state guarantee your future life?  No.  When you trust before your Creator, then He says that I gave you the feelings to seek eternal security in your existence as the Owner of the universe, only I can satisfy your feelings, no on else can and so keep in touch with me.   My creation tells me that if I direct my expectations to the Owner of the universe, then it seems that the Owner of the universe does not fail in providing me with everything and I am secured because I trust my being/existence to the Owner of the universe.  Trusting my existence to the Creator means that I am expecting this Source of my existence to satisfy me.  Only the One who created you with your needs can satisfy you.  No one can guarantee you Eternal Satisfaction.  Your employer can only take care of you until you die.
• No one can give security in your existence. Internal satisfaction is possible only when you have no complexes, no knots, unanswered questions.  You must have serenity in your mind, there should be no stress.
• The Creator does not blow on your knots and exploit you. As soon as you find your Creator, the more you feel secure in your existence.

Comments: When we are mindful of the creation side of the things that we dislike, isn’t that exploitation by the Source of Existence (SOE)?

Most of the things in our life that we dislike drives from our perspective which has complex in it. For example, death is disliked the most. I try to protect myself at every moment just like everyone else. Is death really bad? Look at our life, we are getting old and at some stage will make us realize that things are not bearable in this life. Throughout our lifetime we are prepared for an eternal life.  Isn’t creation telling me that from babyhood, I am being provided what I need?  You need enjoyment, friendship with other people, guidance to think on the right way…  If I label death as end of my existence, then I see it as a bad thing created for me.  Is death a bad thing for me?  Because of my understanding of death to be the end of my existence, I may feel sad. Or is death a transition of one stage of existence to another stage of existence?  For example, the womb of my mother was my home but after a certain time it was no longer a home for me, I came into this life. As an analogy, this universe is like a womb for me.

As far as my human expectations are concerned, this world is like the womb of my mother.  I personally feel suffocated in this world.  I feel suffocated here as my feelings go into eternity and there is no eternity in this world.  Hence, I cannot define death as the end of something because I want to be born into another world where there should be no restrictions to practice my human feelings.  If the most serious scenario for us is death, then you can make an analogy between anything you take as bad and death (worst scenario) to understand all aspects of your human side.

Also, when I feel comfortable with something, then I like it.  Example: I get hungry and I eat something that I like, then I am satisfied with it.  Similarly, in family life, you feel relaxed with parents.  But when parents die, you feel sad because you lost something.  We can learn realities in two ways. Hunger is a simplest example and you can extend it to many aspects of human life.

Which scenario helps you best learn your reality, to be hungry or to be satisfied?  If you are training to learn something, then you learn from others to get a better future.  This world is a training center. For example, a student trains himself in school to get prepared for the professional life. Hunger tells me that my health and life all depend on someone else and I wonder who is taking care of me? As far as realizing my reality that I am totally dependent on the Creator – best way to learn my reality. If there was no hunger, staying satisfied would bring me no message as satisfaction will be taken for granted. This will also lead me to seeing that I am self-sufficient and blocks the way to question our reality. When I am satisfied, it may not give a big picture of my realty experiencing that I am totally dependent.

As long as I realize my reality that I am totally dependent on the One who gives existence to the whole universe, that is the best way of learning what my reality is so I will search for the truth of what the reality is and seek for a satisfactory answer.

Comment: If the Creator uses me to teach someone else a lesson, isn’t that exploitation?

Is it an employment where the example being used must be compensated for or is it exploitation? The example is not for me to make comparisons that this person is going through this and I am not. If death is the end of everything that that would be exploitation where I would be a slave in the hands of the Creator. Without extending my existence into eternity and seeing that all existence is in the hands of the Creator – however He treats me as His work.

For example, the engineer made something wrong in the machine, a flaw in order to teach something in the class. If the computer had consciousness like me, do you think the computer will say are you exploiting me or just employing me to teach so others can learn how to repair me, and others like me. Yes, I may be seen as used but employed as a means for education.

If you are employed as a tool of teaching, then you are chosen by your Creator to be recompensed for it with the eternal form of what you are comparatively deprived of in your life here on earth.  That is, if there was no eternal life where this kind of apparent injustices (within the conditions of this universe) will be paid, then this existence will be meaningless.  “I will repay you endless times because I used you as a teaching tool.”  Why was I chosen as a teaching tool?  The point to understand that everything is the decision of my Creator directly unless it is not the result of my free choice.  Example: disabled people from birth, is it the choice of the Maker?  Yes. So, I am chosen by my Creator to be eternally recompensed. If it is the result of my choice, then the responsibility remains on me. Can I recompense it in anyway? No. So, I have to be careful not to harm my physical health as well as my spiritual health.

If I acknowledge my Creator that I do not exist by myself and if I acknowledge that my being used as a tool for teaching others is from Him, then I fulfill the purpose of my existence. I am happy with His choice as the One Who gives existence to me and I am sure He knows what He is doing, and He is the most wise Creator. I know His wisdom is apparent in everything in His creation; He is not doing anything without a purpose.

As a result of comparison, we feel that we are not privileged, not essentially in one’s existence.  I have to understand that every disadvantage that I see in my existence is the result of comparisons with others.  But the reason for the comparison may not be correct though making the comparison in this world is inevitable. We make comparisons, but judging about the Creator as a result of my comparison and complaining about it may not be right. Can you imagine we compare ourselves with a dog and complaining that I am not given as sharp power of smell as the dog is given etc. can you get away from being unsatisfied with your existence as you are and feeling throughout your life that you are not perfect in your existence. This deprives you of getting pleasure from your existence, consequently, you suffer from making a wrong comparison. We know that the dog is perfect as a dog and we human beings are perfect as human beings.

We make comparisons, that is how we are.  However, if the reason behind our comparison does not have a substantial base then we do not fulfill the purpose of our existence.  If existence consists of only life in this world, then that is a legitimate concern: “why me?” 

My feelings witness that this world cannot be it.  My experiences (feelings and this world) also tell me that I am given existence at various stages without asking me what I want.  Whatever exists is not from me because I cannot give existence to anything and create anything, rather I use what is already created.  I can only use what is created.  Also, I need other things to make comparison with.  Example:  Is the frog complaining why did you not make me as beautiful as a flamingo?  Making comparisons is legitimate only to conclude that this existence cannot be it. The frog can walk, jump and swim and everything is perfectly adjusted. Do we think that the frog is complaining by looking at other animals that why am I made such?

• I get rewarded when I submit my weakness to my Creator by acknowledging Him to be my Source of existence. If I go to something in the universe, then I will be enslaving myself to the universe. The whole civilization is taking advantage of the weakness of the people that are not settled in their existence.

Question: While preparing advertisements, what tactics are used to attract the audience?

You first convince people that they need something, and that the solution is the product.  Example: everyone needs water.  We can make and advertise that water comes from the spring and you do not have to get out of the house as the bottles are packaged from there and we bring you water.  Companies blow on the weak points of people.  If people make up their mind and are resolute with things that they need, then they cannot let companies exploit them.  This kind of civilization blows on our weak points.  We may have weak personalities i.e. not being clear about what I am and what is the purpose of my life…  We need to work on how I will not be open to be cheated on.  When I acknowledge my weak points as far as my position before Him is concerned, my Creator rewards me.  If I submit my existence to other people, then they definitely will exploit me since they have freewill to use for the good or bad.

Example: If I think that the earth is the supplier of my needs.  Earth does not supply my need, but I feel exploited by earth because I feel obliged to be thankful and obedient to the earth itself although earth does not care, and I will enslave myself to the earth saying that “mother nature” is taking care of me.  However, “mother nature” does not take care of you when you die.  We need to have a strong personality and for that we need to settle down with our reality.  You must work on yourself, what does my existence depend on?  Look for the Source of your existence!

Another thing that we get exploited by is sitting in front of social media.  If you sit in front of it, then it shapes your mind.  Sitting in front of it shows the need for it.  Media usually give bad news.  If there is an accident, they make news out of it.  “To create unrealistic fear as if you definitely need protection”.  Protection from state, insurance, police…  What do you feel now?  If I am subject to death, what should I do?  All these imaginary things are introduced to people as if they may probably need it.  We think that we are protecting ourselves by insuring ourselves.  Why are the insurance companies doing this?  Are they doing this for the sake of God?  You pay certain amount and they gain billions and spend only a portion of it.  In other words, the cost of my security is more than what I get out of it because no one can save me from death here?  This is the way insurance companies make a lot of profit from our payments. Isn’t that exploitation?

• We should try not to have any complexes but accept our reality as we are then there will no knots to blow on. Nothing outside, media, advertising will be able to blow anything since I will be straight in my understanding and will carry no complex, twisted understanding.

Any institutions use the weak point of people by introducing any bad possible scenario and use the solution on you to exploit you.  Why can’t we not have any administration without state power?  Can we differentiate between administration and “state”?  What exists independent from the Government?  State.  Governing is not the authority, rather it is giving service.

In Islamic administration, there is no state.  Because state is another power as a result of people’s imagination.  Government takes care of people’s needs at the societal level.  Example: protecting needy ones.  State establishes artificial boundaries. State goes after other people in order to gain benefits for its own power. Example, by declaring war to take over other place and control other people and exploit them.  Again, in Islamic governing system, people are free to go in and out without any restriction.  The Quran says if you see a polytheist wants to seek refuge with you, give them protection (Qur’an, 9: 6.)  Why?  You cannot put a boundary that no one can enter where the believing people are.  Everyone is free to listen, hear and observe what the believing people are doing.

• State must make their existence legitimate in the eyes of the people when the people have weak points i.e. people usually do not really know what their existence means. These weak points are called knots (uqad).  However, if one does not have knots, then there is nothing to blow on.  In other words, everything depends on me and we should try not to have any complexes within us.  Accept your reality as you are!

“Be not like those who are oblivious of God, and whom He therefore causes to be oblivious of [what is good for] their own selves…”  Hashr (59:19)

If I acknowledge my reality (which is given to me by SOE), if I realize what I am, then what do I conclude of this realization.  I conclude that I am created and given existence.  Can I quarrel against this?  As soon as I say that I am created, it automatically acknowledges the agent. Concluding: “I am created” automatically acknowledges the Creator.  My Creator speaks to me to teach me who I am.  When God says that “I created you,” what is He teaching me?  I should check my existence and conclude that I am created.  We ignore the creation of the universe, of myself of my senses and then we start teaching to submit to God. Without establishing the foundation, how can we jump to conclusions? I need to realize first that I am created so that the conclusion will be based on this reasoning.

• If you do not acknowledge and start from the fact that you are created, can you reach the idea that you have a Creator?
• Think of your reality which is created.

If we ignore createdness of the universe including my senses and start teaching people to submit to God, they will be puzzled what “God” means. We need to start from investigating our reality and then conclude that we are created. Only then, we can talk about the Creator because our mind understands that if I am created, I must have a Creator. Thus, the Qur’an is teaching us to follow this way of reasoning when it reminds us that He is the Creator.

When we read the Scriptures, we need to remember that they are the guiding Speech of the Creator, and we are the students trying to benefit from it within our capacity and the means we are given in our environment. If it says, “God is such and such,” I will take it as an invitation for me to investigate the universe and search for whether the Creator of this universe has such qualities. Since I cannot say this universe exists by itself. Only then I can benefit from its teaching and consequently confirm it as telling the truth.

• If I realize that I am created therefore I believe in the Creator who is called God. Only then I base my belief on a rational base.

In language, we see action, then ask who is the doer?  Whoever is oblivious of his createdness (i.e. reality), then such a one needs an agent to explain who gave existence to this createdness and who gave existence to this act of creation.  Otherwise, this person does not have any way of understanding who s/he is.  That is why scripture says God makes you be oblivious of yourself, it means your reality.  This is the result of the order of the universe.  Just as if you do not accept your parents as being your care-taker during childhood, can you say that I am the child of my parents?  No.  In order to accept your SOE, you must first question the SOE of your being.   It is within the order of the universe that if I don’t acknowledge our reality then I can never become aware of what I am and what is expected of me, what I need, etc.? This will make other things to play with me and exploit me.

• Again, it is within the order of the universe that if I do not acknowledge my reality, then I cannot become aware of what I am and what is expected of me. The above verse explains how we fall into knots.
• How do we develop knots within ourselves? Because of being oblivious of our reality.

In order to understand the Speech of my Maker, I have to understand many factors.  One of them is what does this text claim to be.  It claims to be the Speech of your Creator.

Why does the Creator speak to me?  The Creator speaks to me to help me realize my reality. He must speak to me in terms of my conditions within the universe. The addressee of the verse should be careful that the order of the universe is such that it will teach you that you have lost yourself.

What do I have to do in order to understand the message of the speech?  Read the text from my Creator’s perspective but understand the text from my human perspective.  Do I have to go to planet Venus to get to know God?  No.  Some say, I do not have His residence so how can I know Him?  He speaks to me saying that you must know me.  But that is impossible because I cannot see you and get in contact with you here!

• If you do not understand that you are a created being, then you cannot get in touch with your Creator.

When God says if you forget me, I say how can I forget you my Creator because He is speaking to me with my capacity according to the conditions that He has created me in.  How can I forget my Creator?  It is only possible if I examine my reality of existence here so that I will say that in order to get to know the Creator, there is only one way i.e. not to imitate and follow culture blindly but examine my reality in this created world.

Within the conditions of my own existence, how can I not forget my Creator?  We are not talking about that recitation of His name or “zikr” will enable you not to forget God.  Rather, you must investigate the reality of things around you.  Do they really need a Creator?  If the Engineer of this machine tells me that you must get to know me, I say, where is he?  How can I know what kind of person the engineer of the machine is?  By getting to know the qualities of the machine, you get to know the qualities of the engineer. This is the only way to get to know the engineer. Similarly, the more you know about the universe, the better you get to know about its Creator.

Finally, why must my Creator speak to me?

This is from my perspective, I am in need of how I should learn my reality. He created me with this need so He must provide the answer. Why do I need the Creator to speak to me? I have to realize when I study any part of the universe, I see that these things are given existence not by themselves. I search is there any agent to attribute the SOE to? Who, what is the SOE? I need an answer. He must speak to me and introduce Himself, that I cannot find the SOE within the universe and He is the One, who is Absolute, not of the nature of the universe. If He gives me the need and doesn’t provide the answer, it would be His contradiction.