Chapter Ikhlas – Part 3

112:4 “and there is nothing that could be compared with Him.”

Is there any difference between ahad in the first verse (112:1 “Say, He is God Absolute,”) and the ahad in this verse?

Comment: This 4^th verse ahad (Absolute) defines what Absolute is which is not of the nature of this universe.

We can only define God with negation, and the last verse can be labeled numerically with a one.  However, the first verse deals more with trying to understand what ahad is.

Negation must be based on an entity within this universe.  Hence, the universe is the criteria to help me negate what Absolute is not i.e. Absolute is not of the nature of this universe.

I must communicate with the Creator through this universe in order to conclude that it is Absolute.  Within my conditions, how do I feel about my existence and status in this universe?  I only present my status in this universe to the One who is indescribable within this universe or is ahad.

When I pray, I am presenting my reality to the One who is unimaginable.  I am only speaking within my own terms.  I should mean within myself that I am a worshipper only.  The object of worship is beyond my capacity.  I always should concentrate on my side.  I am in front of my Creator.

• “If I am made, then I must have a Maker”. I describe my Creator by declaring my status within this universe.
• Example: “You alone do we worship.” What does that mean?  Who are you talking to?  I am just a worshipper of God and expressing my reality to my Creator without any imagination.

Logical conclusion does not establish any foundations for belief.  We need to have a “qualifier” to define an entity.  Example: The Maker of this machine is John.  John is an architect.  John is a Designer.  Similarly, the Maker of this universe makes more sense to you after ascribing some qualities to Him.

• Just knowing the name of an entity does not mean anything to us.
• Also, knowing the qualities by itself without ascribing it to an entity becomes meaningless.

These verses are coming from a book, the Quran.  If you have not confirmed what is in the book, how can you confirm that you believe in it.

• Without confirming what is in the book, how can I believe in this book?

Can you believe in something that you are not confident about?  No.

We have to go through the following stages:

1. Have I logically concluded the Creator of the universe?
2. Does this book speak about my logical conclusion i.e. the Creator of the universe? Let me see.
3. This book says that God is Omnipotent. Let me think.

How do I build up confidence in my logical conclusion?  Now, I must look into the qualities manifested within the universe.  The more I study them, the more qualities I become aware of.  That is why knowledge is necessary to understand the qualities of beings so that through the qualities of beings, I will come to the conclusion about what is Source of Existence (SOE) of this quality.

Can the atom be the SOE of its qualities or the qualities need to be given existence?  Example: a meowing cat is loveable to the child.  Where did the cat get this quality?  The One who gave it existence made it loveable.  Something loveable attracted the child. The same goes with the child; where did the child get this quality of loving the cat?

When you look at things, you understand that things are created.  If something is created, then it must have a Creator.  How am I going to describe this Creator?  According to the qualities manifested in the objects, I realize that these qualities require a SOE.  None of the qualities can be compared to an Absolute One.  The qualities are given existence by an Existence Giver. (Mujid=Existence Giver).

Matter is given existence as solid, liquid and gas as per science education.  Everything has some sort of qualities given to them according to their purpose of existence.  Think about who gave existence to the shape of a human being, to his cell, atoms, particles…   Everything here is given a shape.  We are subject to change (aging) every moment.  What is the SOE of this shape giving?  That is why the Source must be a One who is a shape-giver universe wide and must be Absolute (muthawwir); shape giver must be an absolute shape giver.  If someone does not get amazed with this universe, then s/he cannot confirm his/her belief.

• I should always be bewildered at the scenery of this universe.

I can establish my confidence in the Creator of the universe only through amazement of creation and the universe.  Only after saying that I belong to Him, then I can establish emotional feeling with Him (i.e. belief).   Example: Someone describes a person to you through his qualities.  Just knowing the name of a person does not make you in love with him/her.

Love of God= Emotional Engagement

1. Intellectual Satisfaction (logical conclusion) is a must.
2. Intellectual Satisfaction must be at a level that you feel close to Him. “I love the One who prepares this universe for me, I am pleased with Him.” Example: The taste of the food is not prepared for you by your mom.  Mom cannot be the SOE of the taste of the food.
3. After the realization in #2, the emotional engagement with the Source of your Existence starts also known as Love of God.

Connection with Creator in terms of emotional attachment is a must to live a happy fulfilling life.

• I love flower because of its beauty so I love the SOE of this beauty who is entertaining me in this world. This makes my life more loveable.
• I need such a One that I can trust my existence to.

Often heard comments: In the example of the prophet Abraham in the Qur’an, Abraham after inquiring about what can be the SOE of the objects in this universe, realizes that the objects here are not acting independently, they all are bound to follow the order of the universe.  After realizing this he declares that “If God did not guide me, then I would not be guided.” It sounds as if he did know God already but pretending to be inquiring. The common question is this:  “If you know God, then why did you say that the sun cannot be God?  You already made your mind up about God”. The question rises at this point “How did you reach this conclusion that such a being exists who is called God.?”

Abraham’s example demonstrates that he concluded the following: The One who gave me searching qualities, only He must be the Source of my answers.  That is, I can only get answers from the Source of my existence.  There must be a SOE of the order in the universe i.e. I have questions and there must be answers.

We don’t use the Quran as the Source of our belief, rather as a Source of acknowledging our human questions and answers.  Without scripture, I cannot be sure that there must be an Absolute beyond the nature of this universe.

When the Quran is recited, listen to it.  That is, the same speech recited is witnessed in the universe and this is what I need to confirm.  In other words, I hear the Quran and I watch the universe.  In both senses, I am reading.  When I listen to the speech, I read it in the universe.  What can you read if there is no book?  The universe and everything in existence around you is a book that needs to be read.  Mushaf is a static written text of the Qur’an, whereas, the Qur’an is a dynamic Speech of the Creator. What we are expected to do is even when we are reciting the mushaf we need to listen to dynamic speech which is the Quran while we are reading (observing) the universe.  Here are some Quranic words that focuses on reading:

• Istami’oo Lahu means listen to it carefully and attentively.
• Tarteel means following something.
• While I am reading existence, I need to examine it carefully. That is, the universe is another Speech of the Creator which needs to be studied alongside with the verbal speech of the Creator no matter what.

What about the heart?

Listening and observing the two types of Quran (one is the verbal Speech which is the Qur’an, the other is the speech in acting, which is the universe) are done at the same time.  In other words, you hear, see and reason (think), and then the heart interferes after all these stages.  Heart is represented by human feelings and emotions which must be used at the very end.  When you establish your emotions to its Source of Existence, only then you feel satisfied in your existence and that is belief.

Finally, unbeliever is the attitude who hears (the recitation of the Mushaf) and sees the universe but does not listen to these two types of Speech.  For the Speech, the Quran and the universe, must be listened to and examined carefully without any bias.