Chapter Inshirah – Part 2

94:2 “And removed your burden from you.”

In order to get out of these artificial burdens which takes most of our energy, we need to look into the essential nature of our existence.

Think about your life, how much time do you have to consider about your reality in existence (existential needs as a human being).  We need to be free from every worry because everything is being taken care of by my Creator.  All other worries are influenced by outside society either ideologically or materially.  Ideology is imposed upon us.  Example: this society tells me to have xyz but it’s not an essential need pertaining to my humanity as far as my existence is concerned.

We are so disconnected with our reality and our way of life is mostly artificial now.  We seldom get to interact with creation.  Back in the days, people would not feel lonely because they had their camels or horses as a mode of transportation to interact with or use them as a means of getting their food.  These creatures at least express emotions like humans and you do feel that you are in communication with something senseless.  Our means of transportation now is bus/train/car, although we can still be in communication with those, but they do not reproduce anything for us, they do not give birth or seed to new generations, but they only consume.

Example: I am dependent on the car as means of transportation, but the car deteriorates.  If I were to use a horse, then God provides me with means of transportation which gives birth to new generation.  Car dies, and you need to renew your car and it costs you more money.  How many times the horse give birth to new colt before they die?

Similarly, I do not have time to make friends with plants.  We do not communicate with them.  It is commercialized.

Values of the society has changed so much that we are immersed with the burden of the civilization we are living in.  It does not mean that we should get a camel and ride in the city on it because it is friendlier. What talk about this matter in order to make us realize what kind of civilization we have developed or are living in.

Our material side here interacts with the universe.  We may even get tired with running like a rat in a rat race, but that is our material side.  Our intellectual side, on the other hand, which is the perception of my existence, emotions and feelings cannot get tired if it is connected to its Source of Existence.

What kills me here?  When I appropriate my cells as a result of random happening.  Why do I bother about living then?  I should seriously be asking:

• What is the meaning of my existence to me, so I can adjust my life according to this meaning by using my freewill?

Have you thought of the meaning of existence and are satisfied with it even while praying?  If you have a positive answer (my existence was meaningful today because my Creator gave me existence and gave me the pleasure to exist and I am happy that I am given existence by my Creator), then you fulfilled the purpose of your existence today.

I seek for meaning and material beings employed in my body cannot be the source of the meaning that I am in need of.  Particles do not have what I seek.  Where can the particles get emotions from?  It is impossible for human logic to conclude such.

Did we not remove your burden?

Who removed your burden?  You, yourself?  No, the Source of your Existence and of everything else.

What do you need?

Eternal Security in my existence.

Turn death into a transition from this world and eternal world.  Whatever happens to you is for a purpose to make you realize your reality. Nothing in this world is purposeless.  Is there anything in this world acting in a purposeless way?  Is there an ant living without purpose?  They have their own purpose.

If the Creator of the universe is letting me know that: “I will remove the burden from you, not you will remove it.”  I ask how?  By making us conscious of the things being artificial is the relieve of burden, i.e. these are the products of caprices, I am thankful for this awareness and I am aware that I am shackled with this civilization, i.e.  am not free.  At least, if I am aware of it, then I fulfill the purpose of my existence.

The real need that I have is provided by my Creator.  This consciousness makes you be aware that your Creator is taking care of you and you can only put your trust in Him and communicate with him.  Try to understand the meaning of your life for the existence of your needs.    When you are aware of your reality, your heart is free.

The Prophets come in to help people get out of hell.  That is, you are taking sweet with poison, now I will teach you the reality of life.  Although, you did not want to come to this learning, now God’s decree wants to teach you. It is my responsibility to teach you said the Prophet.

• We are under the shackle of devil, we must weep on ourselves!

Solution: It is on us to offer you the solution, try to understand the message from the Creator, rather than what the society offers.

Discoveries should not be used to exploit people, rather use it in favor of human beings i.e. to satisfy our humanity.  Unfortunately, discoveries are killing our innate nature in most cases where we are vulnerable to the artificiality of things.

I should understand the meaning of existence, at least I should understand why I am living and what I need to concentrate on, not to lose myself on artificial forces.  Watch out!  Not to be the slave of fashion at least.  It needs real consciousness!

Not being educated under the guidance of God’s speech is the burden we have taken on, but we must free ourselves.

94:3 that weighed so heavily on your back,

Who has time to study the Quran consistently one hour a day?  We are under the heavy load of materialist worldview.  Be conscious of yourself and time.  You can still live in NY and be free.  Our backs are literally burdened i.e. we may feel stress.

Prophets are just warners.  How can you kill them?  By rejecting their message, you kill the messenger (for yourself,) as depicted in the verse below.

Chapter Women, verse 157-158 – “and their boast, “Behold we have slain the Christ Jesus, son of Mary, an apostle of God!”  However, and they did not slay him, neither did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been] so; and, verily, those who hold conflicting views, thereon are indeed confused, having no real knowledge thereof, and following mere conjecture.  For, of a certainty, they did not slay him: nay, God exalted him unto Himself – and God is indeed Almighty, Wise.”

What does “kill a man” mean as depicted in most Islamic wars of the past?  The ideology is what is killed, otherwise what is the point in killing a man?  Similarly, what does the crucification of Prophet Jesus represent?  It is really the ideology that is lived or killed, which is the message of God.  Prophetic teachings are the way to God.  Prophet Jesus is still alive in his mission, similarly, Prophet Muhammad is also alive in his mission.  Physically killing a man does not mean killing the message.  How can you do that?  By coming with a counter argument which is rejection of the message.  You can only kill the message by rejecting it, thus depriving yourself from benefiting from it. But message is Eternal.

What makes a person the Prophet is the message. By killing a Physicist, can you kill the discipline of Physics?  No.  Similarly, the prophets died but their message (God’s message) is alive.

People thought that they killed Prophet Jesus, the same way that Satan looks at the body of Adam.  Satan says that I am superior to clay and fire is higher in degree i.e. I cannot see Adam as having higher degree.  Hence, Satan saw Adam in clay form, just as the contemporary of Prophet Jesus saw Jesus in body form.   But Angels saw Adam in spirit form which Adam was breathed from God.  And Angels prostrated the manifestation of God’s spirit in the body of Adam.  Prophet Jesus is really the spirit, not the body, just like other Prophets, they represent the Spirit of God in their messages.

94:4 “and [have We not] raised you high in dignity

In “zikrak” (People’s appreciating memory of the Prophet), it means the teaching you (the Prophet) disseminated is accepted by many people. So your teachings raised people to get to know their Creator, God, as the Absolute One.  That is, through your message you connect people to God, thus they appreciate you according to the value of your teachings. If someone teaches you a simple matter you appreciate his teaching accordingly. But if someone teaches you something which saves your life eternally, of course, you will appreciate this person eternally, and be thankful to him as much.

When we benefit from the message that God send through the Prophet, we attach our existence to God.  The fundamental teachings of the Prophet is to introduce people to their Source of Existence.  That is how his “zikr” is elevated.

Through the message, you confirm the messenger and the message that he brings, and you attach your being and people to their Source of Existence.  That is what “zikr” or “salawaat” (approving/acknowledging the Prophetic message) is.  Also, when you are in the presence of your Lord, are you not in your “Miraj” (ascension,) you connect your existence to the Eternal, Absolute Being?  Yes, you always belong to God as far as your understanding is concerned.

• “I welcome your message, I am proud of it, although I may not practice it all. Most of the time I am neglectful of it, but I really appreciate your message.”  That is how you communicate with your Lord. Thus, accordingly you are appreciative of the Messenger who brought the Message of the Most High Creator and Sustainer.
• The Prophets are still alive in their mission. Through their teachings can you not get in contact with God?  Take their teachings for your being and apply them in your relationship with God.