92:19 “and does not expect any reward from anyone.”
Analogy: When a student enrolls at a school, s/he does that for his/her own benefit. That is, the desire to learn is innate within all human beings. The student does not study to make his/her Professor happy. The student wants to learn to be content for himself.
Similarly, in this school of the universe, when you interact with creation in an engaging way, it is for your own benefit. That is, you are in need to discover more and more of what this universe offers. When you learn to make use of this universe, then you are happy with your discoveries.
In the school analogy, when the student is successful at school, the school administration is happy with the student as well. As a result, the administration places him in honor roll and portrays him/her as a model student for the other students to seek motivation as well. When a student is not successful at school, does the administration mention him/her? No.
Are you expecting any benefit from anyone when you learn to make use of yourself while interacting with the universe?
- You just want to benefit your own being by learning to make use of everything that is available and accessible to you.
92:20 “but only the desire to seek for the Countenance of his Lord Most High”
This verse may seem like a contradiction to the previous one where I need to learn to seek something for someone. Let us break this down:
What is Countenance?
- The qualities pointing to a One that is bringing this universe into existence.
Analogy: An artist displays his/her art to the audience. You interact with the art by admiring the art knowing that the art has an Artist. Similarly, the Artist of this universe makes Itself known to conscious human beings by displaying Its art, act of creation and manifested qualities.
Without interacting with the art, how can you appreciate the artist? To come up with a conclusion, we must gather our witness for ourselves. Otherwise, letting the artist know that you admire his/her art without experiencing the art would be hypocritical. After all, an artist creates art to be admired, used and appreciated. If you mention to the artist that you have heard of his art being great, the artist would not make anything out of such comment. Whereas, after using the art, you communicate with the artist how great his art is and that you are appreciative of his art, then the artist gets excited with such genuine well experienced comments. Similarly, the Creator of the universe, gets pleased with you when you acknowledge and appreciate Its art after experiencing its quality.
92:21 “and he will be well pleased.”
Analogy: An engineer designs a laptop for multi-purposes. If a user just uses the laptop to use one application only, then the engineer will not be pleased with the user. Similarly, the Source of your existence has created you with endless qualities and has made this universe available to you to be utilized to practice your human qualities. If you make use of everything that is accessible to you to the best of your capacity, then the Source of your existence will be well pleased with you. If you use everything available to you to fulfill the purpose in your existence, then that is all that matters. When you use yourself effectively, you are satisfied with yourself and an automatic consequence of that is the Source of your existence is also pleased with you.
Often heard comment: “I do this act so that my Creator will be pleased with me.” Excuse me, “Are you doing the act just to please the Creator without yourself being pleased with what you are doing?” How do you know the artist yet if you have not interacted with his art for your own benefit and be pleased with it? Only after learning something and making yourself benefit from something will you get to please the artist because the artist will be happy to know that you are utilizing yourself and the universe for the purpose that you have been created for. When you fulfill the purpose of your existence, you are fulfilling the purpose of the artist for creating you and the universe.
For example, if you are offered some food, without even tasting the food saying that you are pleased with it, just as a duty to thank the one who offered you and say that you enjoyed it. Do you think the person will be happy with your thanking? He will know that you are not being sincere, you are doing just a lip service.
Therefore, you need to be pleased with yourself first and then an automatic consequence is your Maker will be pleased with you. This verse is about you.
Quranic verses can also be read solo, but we need to train for it. Even if “He” meant the Creator of the universe, it still needs to be interpreted for you the one to be content and pleased in his/her existence.
In summary, here are the stages one must go through to feel pleased in his/her existence:
Stage 1: Engage with and appreciate the qualities manifested in the universe.
Stage 2: When you appreciate the qualities of the artist, then you are appreciating and acknowledging the Artist.
Stage 3: When you are happy with the Artist, the Artist is happy with you.
Just as when you are happy with the parents, teachers and friends, they are also happy with you. Others’ happiness is an automatic reaction to your happiness.