Recap: “Kauthar” or “Paradise” is not something to do with physical abundance such as money, physical property but something that satisfies human beings with their need, to make the heart satisfied.
How do hearts get satisfied?
Opening up to the message the universe brings which is always out there either through our being, the universe, the prophets or the scripture. What does this message bring into one’s life? How does the message shape the worldview? Looking for satisfaction within our own selves.
- There should be no contradiction with what the message says through the universe, human qualities and the prophetic message.
- I can comfortably confirm the message if I have not conditioned myself.
- There should be no unsatisfied human feelings when one utilizes the messages that keep coming through different venues.
Stress, depression, hopelessness, feeling lonely – general problems we suffer from nowadays because the expectations are not met. There is dissatisfaction in one’s life because one does not open up themselves to the message and relate it to what the human feelings expect. If any message does not meet my human expectations, then either this message is not correct, or my comprehension and interpretation of the message is not correct.
- Do not check the message as it may not be evaluated by you correctly. Always CHECK yourself first!
I need to check myself: Am I conditioning myself to look for world-oriented satisfaction by myself? I want some instant satisfaction in something and it is not happening right now. To get instant satisfaction for that something is not in the order of this universe and not appropriate to the qualities that I am given (if the expectation is not conforming to the conditions of the universe.). To do something, we follow the set order in the universe, for example, to grow fruits, one has to sow the seed and that follows an order and the result, as experience from the order, which is the Will of its Creator, is not instant.
People suffer through depression because their world-oriented expectations are not satisfied with their worldview i.e. they do not open to the message that the universe with its every individual being in it invites us to read, and make a mutual correspondence with what their human qualities desire (eternal satisfaction), and what the universe offers (temporariness).
Wherever one finds full satisfaction – that is Kawthar – and it must be given freely. Looking at the universe and questioning how it is existing? Do we pay for that? The message that the universe carries is available freely, all the time. Do my human qualities cost anything? They are given freely. Why do we block and do not utilize our qualities?
Because we may not follow our reality, rather, we follow our carnal ambitions. Example: Everyone should respect me, I am looking for flattery words or being involved in artificial relationships, not genuine. Some people may not be aware of what exactly they are seeking. We need to be careful about our wants and desires.
The Quran offers us a good advice about “kauthar” i.e. It is already given to you. Human qualities are yours, prophetic message is free, and the universe is continuously delivering the meaning (message) in its existence for you to benefit from.
Practically, how do we open-up?
- When the message comes to me, encounter the message with my feelings and see if those feelings satisfy me.
108:2 Therefore, pray to your Lord and make your sacrifice to Him alone.
“Fasalli” means perform prayer. However, this is an early chapter where the ritualistic formalized prayers were not established. So how do we understand this? Quran is using it in a specific way and every context has different aspect of the same word.
The word “Salli” that seems to stand firm and support what is given to you. For vertebrae, the same word is used. For example, Allah humma salli Ala Muhammad. What do we mean? Support the message, I am applying, and I am happy with it.
“Fa-Salle Le Rabbik”– “pray to your Lords,” for what? Benefit from the universe to acknowledge the Source of Existence of this universe. Support the message for Its sake. What do I do for the sake of my Lord? Nothing. Use all the venues of the message to acknowledge who my Lord is. We usually use it only for the sake of our satisfaction, but the result of our satisfaction should be in order to acknowledge our Lord, who is giving things to me.
What is the result of the acknowledgment after being satisfied that there is an eternal life, for example? Is that the end of the story, just the satisfaction? By finding out the solution for myself, I have to be thankful and grateful to the One who has prepared this universe and its riddle for me. That is why “Fasalle li Rabbik” I do something to acknowledge my Lord.
I do something for what? “Li”—for what purpose? What is my aim? I do something for an aim.
Example: When I am hungry – the aim is to fulfil myself with food, why do I eat?
- Satisfy my hunger
- Acknowledge the source of existence of the food, who our Lord is.
What is the ultimate purpose of eating? Since I receive the satisfaction from eating, I wonder do the particles, soil, water, chance have the choice, quality to satisfy me. All these different variety prepared, different shapes, sizes, colors, etc. must have been prepared for a purpose.
- If something ends with death, then it is pointless.
To wear warm clothes in winter for the purpose of staying warm leads to a dead-end. The one who satisfies me – can it be the sheep? I have to acknowledge the one who has employed the sheep, set the weather, the stage is all set for me to know who my Lord is. There must be a point to put us in this order and relationship to investigate the source of it. Every action/need is given to us to understand who our Lord is. Connect yourself to the Lord.
- Every action is an opportunity to reconfirm the Source of Existence, we need to find out who our Lord is. (if we do not acknowledge the source, then we are shoplifting from the shop of the universe, which is the property of its Creator).
My Obstacles in reaching ultimate purpose: pre-conceived knowledge.
Does your Lord need anything from you? No. So why does the guide say to pray to your Lord? Acknowledgement – get to know who is preparing everything for me and treating me. Once I understand this, be consistent in my conclusion and support this. Consistency, standing firm in my conclusion of acknowledgement of the source of existence. Do not contradict yourself.
Who is giving me my needs and satisfying my needs? We are created in such a way that we must communicate continuously as a result of my need and something is satisfying my need. When someone is ill, this person needs healing. What is the purpose in seeking healing – get to know who is providing the means of healing. I will hear that the body repairs itself. My body which consists of particles – as if it is an intelligent source of existence. We must watch out for the language used in the language of the present civilization.
What am I experiencing within my life right now? All deliberate positions that I am put in is to communicate and reach a conclusion about the Source of my Existence. My conclusion here is to understand who is putting me through this position through actions I see manifested and I am made to manifest.
- This verse guides me to my conclusion, from all the interactions with the universe, which must be to acknowledge who my Lord is.
“… and make your sacrifice to Him alone.”
Think of an ordinary man with no social status, no knowledge, no poetry quality, and who comes and says to listen to me. Would I listen to him? Do I follow someone because s/he is not the leader of a tribe or the elite?
The response from the higher status folks in that town: What he says is something interesting – did he make it up?
- The statement is of a high standard – I am employed by the Owner of the universe.
He seems an honest man – what is he saying?
- Only a few people with him, his wife Hatija, Ali, Abu Bakar, (who were already searching for the meaning of existence by seeing the difference in his trading business with how the cultures differed), as soon he heard from the prophet, Abu Bakar thought that these are like the things that I have been hearing from other folks out of the city of Mecca.
What does it mean to “slaughter” or “sacrifice” something for Him alone? Towards the end of first or beginning of second period of revelation, people thought that they are already slaughtering the goat, sheep, camel.
If we take the part of slaughter out of context, it does not make much sense. However, within the teaching context of the chapter:
- “Hey human being – We gave you abundance”, it means that we ought to use our human qualities to acknowledge the Source of our Existence. Now, I have to be consistent in seeking the Source of everything.
Am I purposefully denying something or am I being negligent towards the Source of my Existence?
I need to reach full satisfaction of my human expectations. Be consistent in acknowledging who my Lord is and slaughter my egoistic desires and ambitions. Rememberàpracticeà satisfaction.
Practically speaking, with any action you undertake, ask yourself: “Doing this, will this lead me to acknowledge who my Lord is, or my family/children will be satisfied, for example?”
Travel on the path which takes me to my Lord means to cut all inherited cultural values for understanding the truth. If you do not cut, you cannot pray. If your heart is split, can you find your Lord? Experiencing secular understanding of the world cannot get you any eternal satisfaction. Eternal satisfaction can only be attained by believing in “ghaib” or Absolute (something not of the nature of this universe).
- Before slaughtering false artificial claims (Lailaha), you cannot say illallah (I belong to the Absolute One).
Example: Why do I expect money to come to me? Because I am needy. Slaughtering money would mean that realizing that the Source of my satisfaction is not money (object), rather it is the Creator of the universe.
- Worship means whoever is the Real Source of satisfaction, Security or Provider, acknowledge It and act accordingly.
- Anything which deviates you from the path of your Lord needs to be slaughtered.
We are made in a way to acknowledge whatever we get satisfaction from. Anything which is positive for me, is the source of satisfaction for me, for example my dignity. Just recognize that everything is a means to get you satisfaction and through this, acknowledge the Source.