Chapter Hashr – Part 2

Recap:

What you are looking for is what “It” is.  How did this universe come into existence? There must be a way of explaining that.

“It is God save whom there is no deity other than Him,
-the Sovereign, the Holy One, Source of Peace, Granter of Security, Guardian over all, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Supreme;”
Glory be to God, who is far above what they associate with Him.  God is far above anything they consider to be His partner.”  59:23

What does Holy mean?

Holy= Sacred= Not worldly= not of the nature of this universe.  Something superior to the nature of this universe.  What can it be, which kind of existence can it have?

What is a sign?
Anything pointing to something other than itself.  However, the way science introduces us the qualities is that the qualities belong to the thing itself or the qualities happen to be given existence randomly as in “naturally”.  This interpretation is devoid of Lailaha (nothing of this universe has the power to give existence to anything.

Our duty is to confirm lalilaha.  Without Lailaha, anything you conclude and utter is baseless.

• Human responsibility is not to believe in God, rather to investigate (e. lailaha) and to conclude illallahu (hence, there must be a Source of Existence but not of the nature of this universe).

What is Holy One?
A one that is not dependent, not needy, not of this universe.  If the Source of Existence (SOE) of this universe cannot be the universe itself, then the universe is not the SOE of anything of this universe.

This civilization does not take God into consideration because no one teaches that our fundamental responsibility is to study lailaha.  Without lailaha, belief in God is baseless. If we jump into “illallah” (but God) it becomes a bias repetition of a certain religious culture which cannot be accepted by any rational being.

Always take this world as a signpost.  How to do that?  Study the Divine Speech which provides us with the method of using the universe as a signpost to its SOE.  This text of the Qur’an is historically preserved and that is why we take it seriously.

Have you ever studied the universe as a signpost?

• What is the language of the universe? It speaks with its own disposition.

Who has the last Word in this universe?

• The One who establishes the order of this universe.
• The One who rules this universe cannot have the same qualities as this universe.
• Example 1: I am not this quality, rather I am made with this quality.
• My qualities point to the qualities of the SOE.
• Example 2: I like helping people. I am made with the sense of helping other people.

My belief in God must be based on lailaha.  Quran is the teacher of observing lailaha, a frame of thought about my existence here.

Example: If you want to know who the Maker of the beautiful art is, study its qualities which points not to the piece of art itself, rather its Maker.  This Maker must be a Holy One in comparison with the art i.e. not the piece of art.

• The manifested qualities are from the Maker/Actor of the objects in the universe. The manifested qualities in the objects in the universe are signs to its Maker/Actor.

What does Source of Peace (as-Salaam) mean?

The Creator has given existence to this universe in a way so that you can be at peace within your own existence without contradiction.  That is, in peace with my fundamental existential questions: What am I doing here?  Why is the universe like this?

You have to look at the signs in the universe and you will find answers to your questions.  Example: you are hungry, and you need food.  If someone gives you food with a frowning face, will you eat it?  No.  You are hungry but you are not at peace because you have so much exceptions (i.e. you want everything best).

The universe is created in such a way that you can use it to deduce the existence of its Owner and describe its Owner.

Existential pain= thinking your existence as meaningless and being depressed.  The root of all psychological problems is not being at peace within yourself.  The real problem is if you find your existence meaningless, then you are never at peace with yourself.

• As-Salam is being at peace within me. I am here to feel confident in my existence.  I am here to experience the signpost.

What is your destination?  Why are you in this universe? 

• Even if you are financially satisfied and that becomes your destination, then you will never get satisfactory answers to your human existential questions yearning for an ultimate destination.

Finally, read the signpost and refer it to its Creator, get to know Him/It i.e. your Creator. Make your existence meaningful by attaching yourself to an Absolute Source of Existence.