Chapter Fil – Part 1

Chapter Fil (Elephant) – chronologically 19^th revealed chapter of the Quran.

Most of the revealed chapters of the Quran have names of objects and things in the universe. The chapter is approximated to have been revealed around the 2^nd year of the prophetic mission. These foundational chapters should change our world view as we get revelation. They teach and invite the audience to revisit their world view. Try to understand what living in this world means for you.

105:1 – Are you not aware of how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant?

“Did you not see” rather than “are you not aware” is how this is usually translated. This event historically took place when the prophet was born, and he did not see this event take place. Think about how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant. We need to interpret this to our conditions now.

What is the Army of the Elephant for me now?

• A powerful force! Oppressing others and imposing what they want them to do.

105:2 –   Did He not make their treacherous plan go astray?

The Owner of this universe deals with this powerful force. This so called powerful force must deal with the Will of the Lord of the universe. They may make treacherous plan, but the Owner of the universe will not let them have their way.

I may say if I have this worldly source of power such as wealth, position, career, status, then I will use it to fulfill my expectations in life – that is my plan. Can I guarantee that my source of power (such as wealth, career…) will make me satisfied?  No.

• If I rely on the source that I obtained from the universe, can I get any satisfaction? Only temporarily.

We cannot guarantee our life. We cannot guarantee that this source obtained from the universe will satisfy me. It may or may not, doesn’t guarantee anything in this world. I can only follow the order of the universe in order to fulfill my expectations but there is no way to guarantee anything.  For example, I may sow a seed with the expectation of a plant but the squirrel eats the seed. There is no guarantee that I will be alive tomorrow – can anyone guarantee that? Nothing is guaranteed through our choices. The order of the universe doesn’t change but the outcome of the order as far as human expectations is concerned is not guaranteed even in its temporary satisfaction sense. There are several unknown factors for us. For example, the bad food being harmful is within the order, I may not know it. We cannot grasp the order of the universe in its entirety. We don’t know the free will of other humans, animals… My expectations are not guaranteed to be fulfilled within this world by this world.  This is referred to as “Divine Determining” in religious texts.

Is Divine Determining fixed or changes?  Absolute Will must be fixed. “Kun Faya Kun” (Be and it is). The One who sets the space-time must not be subject to such. Whoever establishes this order, the way the universe is acting has established the universe this way. We may not know about the future, which is our situation according to the conditions we are in. That is, the existence of my human feelings is also established, I have yet to experience them. The existence of my human feelings is given in time when I experience events. I don’t know what events will I experience tomorrow and hence what feelings will be imparted unto me or I receive as a result of my using freewill.  I may choose to experience love for example, rather than the lack of love.  Similarly, I may choose to experience lack of Mercy, rather Mercy in its full capacity.

The universe exists as it is as a result of One Absolute will. From the beginning till the end is already decided as far as my existence and the existence of everything else is concerned because the decision or Absolute Will must have decided. Absolute Will cannot change. Space wise, galaxies, solar system, my cells are created right now and take place in existence at the same time. If the source of existence is Absolute, there is no tomorrow for the Absolute, time and space is given existence by this Absolute.  The One who gives existence to time space-time must not be subject to space-time.  Absolute means everything exists at once.  Space-time is only applicable to created beings i.e. we created beings experience space-time. The way the universe comes into existence shows that the source of existence must be Absolute. Kun Faya Kun (Be and it is).

For example, a whole movie is in a flash drive. For the film itself there is no time. When I watch the film, it is stage by stage. By fast forwarding or rewinding the movie in the flash drive, the movie doesn’t change and the whole movie is still in the flash drive. With prayer, the movie doesn’t change but prayer is for me to realize my being.