Recap: We think that we are winning our bread/lives here, rather it is the Creator of the universe that is providing us everything. We are just using the means given to us hoping for our livelihood. Depending on how we use our free will, accordingly the Creator of the universe judges about what we deserve and do not deserve i.e. what is good for us or what is not good for us.
We may think that a certain physical object will make us feel happy in its presence. Example: I want to gain fame/power or knowledge/skill. Depending on our intention, we may think that if I have this object, then I will be pleased in my life. We use our free will within the regulations/conditions of the order of the universe which we follow to get results. However, we may not get the expected results according to what we think we deserve. In other words, what is good for us is what we “deserve,” which is dependent on our understanding of our relationship between us and our Creator.
- Example, you may express verbally: “O my Creator, if I have this object, I will be happy with You”. However, I cannot guarantee that it will be a means of happiness for me because I ask my Creator/Provider to provide the object for me so that I will be happy.
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- But my Creator who is Absolute knows what is best for me. That is if I get that object, I may not be happy.
- Although I make the attempts within the order of the universe here to get that object and it is still not provided to me because my Creator knows my intention/what I deserve to be happy.
- I, by myself cannot guarantee that if I get the object, then I will be happy with my Creator.
We are treated by our Creator according to His Absolute Knowledge i.e. He knows what the past holds, and present/future holds. He decides for you about the object because He knows that you sincerely want to be happy with the Creator and if you have the object that you want, then you may not be pleased with the Creator. Perhaps you may misuse the object, or it may be harmful for you because we do not know the future. Ultimately, It is the One who decides what is good for me and what is not good for me according to my attitude towards my Creator.
Example: Let’s say a person does not believe in the Creator, then he does not ask the Creator to give certain results to him. However, what is the reason that he does not believe in a Creator? Is he really an obstinate denier? Was he not presented with the right understanding of religion that satisfied him?
- Whatever the reason, this person will be treated in a way where he will be given the opportunity to learn what exactly the religion of God is. In other words, everything will be arranged for him by the Creator of the universe in such a way by giving him the opportunity to learn what God’s religion is exactly all about. This person’s life is arranged by the Creator of the universe according to what he deserves to be treated with.
If a person believes in God in an insincere but opportunist way, God treats Him accordingly. The laws/principles of the order of the creation is fixed but everything within the laws of the creation is arranged/decided by its Creator. Laws are fixed but things are chosen according to the choice of the Creator ,i.e.the laws are fixed but the variables are endless.
- Example A: Bob wants to get to midtown by 2 pm but encounters a traffic jam. Bob couldn’t reach his destination because he was not able to know about the roadblocks. According to Bob’s intention, he was expected to be there by 2 pm but there was an accident beyond Bob’s expectations and Bob couldn’t be there.
- Example B: John may cultivate the land with the expectation that if everything goes right, he will harvest a certain number of crops. However, there was a drought (no rain) and the harvest didn’t come to his expectations.
There are two types of order/principles:
- Fixed principles that do not change.
- The results expected from following these principles are open ended ,i.e.not fixed, they vary.
We may know certain laws, but we do not know many variables in creation. Hence, we cannot expect to get what we exactly plan for.
Example C: Jane buys a car which guarantees to run perfectly for 10 years. Can anyone guarantee that they will never get into an accident during those 10 years? No. There may be a flood that drags away the car or there may be a storm that breaks some parts of the car. No one knows and Jane cannot calculate that and make sure about the car being in good condition. Perhaps, someone may come and steal the car or a drunken man may hit the car. We cannot really guarantee the car to last 10 years.
- These may be two or more mixed orders/principles working together. We may know certain orders in the universe, but we do not know many other factors/ things in the universe and what they will result in.
Example D: Fred was going on the highway and a deer jumped off the side on the road and crashed into the car. How can Fred know what the deer’s intention/freewill was?
- No one knows, only the One who keeps the whole order of the universe under His control knows it.
- That is why our attempt to make something definite for us as an expectation is not sure.
Example E: Zoey plans to live a certain lifestyle, earn a good amount of money and treat herself with exquisite dining food, which ends up being poisonous. Did Zoey know that the food will be poisonous?
- No. She did not know, on the contrary she thought that when she will buy the food, it will be good for her and she will feel happy about it. But she ends up in the hospital and it costs her a fortune.
- The Creator of the universe treats us in the best way according to what I deserve. In other words, He lets me have what is best for me.
We must take into account that there will be a second creation. (refer to part 16 of chapter Najm to understand Quran, 53:47 “That He will undertake the second Creation;”)
What is best for me is related to how much I deserve for the second creation. The first creation is the creation of our spirit, followed by this practical experience that we observe here.
What is good for me according to my Creator has something to do with the second creation i.e. eternal life. This life is only a preparation/probationary life, we are prepared/trained and gettin ready for the second creation. Everything is created here in order to give us the opportunity to prepare us for a second creation. Our Creator creates things for us in order to prepare us for the second creation, according to what we deserve.
Example F: Maria thinks that she is working hard and does not understand why the Creator is not giving her a specific object that she desires i.e. according to her understanding.
- By not providing her with what she thinks she needs, the Creator of the universe is letting her know that entertainment with that specific object in this universe may not be good for her second creation: “That is why I am not giving it to you. I am choosing what is best for you as much as you deserve it”.
Question: Does the word “deserve” refer to the extent to which I have utilized my freewill to train my consciousness and understanding?
Answer: Let’s look into the verse studied during part 16 of this series, Quran, 53:48 “that it is He who gives wealth and possessions;” If the Owner of the universe gives wealth and possessions, then why should I struggle for it?
- The Owner of the universe gives wealth and possession according to what I deserve. What do you mean by “deserve”?
- While I am using my freewill what do I expect to gain, in order to do what? In other words, for what purpose am I using my freewill to get something?
Example G: George, a believer says that I want to have a pleasant life so that I can be happy with my Creator. In order to have a pleasant life, I need to have a pleasant villa so that I will be happy with my Creator. I shouldn’t have an excuse to complain about what He does not give to me.
George works hard to earn money to buy a villa. That is how George used his free will. At the end, George may or may not be given the villa. While he is obeying the order perfectly, something may go wrong, and he cannot make enough money to buy the villa. That is the decision of the Creator. According to George’s interaction with his Creator through his intention of being happy with the Creator and while using his freewill, he did not know the other aspect of Divine Determining/how the order works. One aspect of the order is so obvious to us. The other aspect is known only by the Owner of the order of the universe. He, the owner of the order and the results, decides according to my intention + according to my usage/practice of my freewill. He decides what is best for me for my life in the second creation according to what I deserve.
- What I deserve is my attempt/practice of free will + intention (what I want to get/do).
This example is for the one who believes in the Creator and says that I want to be happy with my Creator/Owner, my Provider/God.
Again, we do not know the reason why people do not believe in God. We do not know the intention of people and their experiences of understanding religion. Does anyone deserve to be an atheist? No. Practically speaking, God’s wisdom also knows that a person should not be an atheist and s/he must be given an opportunity to get to know what God’s religion is about. Just like George from the example above, let’s take another scenario example. An atheist also strives the same way to get a villa and his intention has nothing to do with God, rather just to entertain himself while here. The Creator of the universe must know whether or not he was given the opportunity to get to know what God’s religion is. While working hard to buy a villa, he eats poisoned food and is taken to the hospital where he meets a person there who introduces the real aspect of God’s religion to him (all arranged by God). He shares that he was “unlucky”, he couldn’t make enough to buy a villa… In this scenario, here he is “lucky” because of being introduced to religion. As far as his second creation is concerned, he gains. In this world, he was not able to get a villa.
- What we need to make sure is that when I use my freewill, I will definitely get the results that I want according to the order of the universe that I know, however,
- Watch out! There is also another aspect of the order of the universe that I do not know.
- Regardless, my expectations always depend according to the aspect of the order that I know, not the other side.
- I must understand I cannot guarantee anything, but I must do what is left on my freewill i.e. I must use my freewill in order to follow the order of the universe as much as I know and acknowledge the Source of existence of this order.
- I cannot guarantee the results, I must admit that.
Do you think the universe is existing continuously on accidents or everything is perfectly preserving its order and orderliness is continuing in the universe as far as the universe is created?
One aspect is known to human beings and the other aspect is unknown. If the other aspect is unknown, do you think that this refers to chaos? Do you experience any chaos here? The orderliness is preserved here on one hand, and human beings need to explain this. That is, I don’t know how order is preserved here but I am sure that the order in the universe is preserved and has been preserved. By what? There is no chaos in the creation. The order of the universe cannot be repeating itself and cannot be controlling itself.
Orderliness, the way the order is working, is controlled by the One who gives existence to the order of the universe. This One is the Creator of the universe or the Order-er of the universe. This Creator distributes wealth and possessions.
- Never complain about what you cannot get:
- If you are given what you expect, say thank You to your Creator.
- If you are not given what you expect, say I trust in the decision of my Creator: “He must have decided about my share on His Mercy and wisdom according to my benefit. My benefit for the second creation which must be eternal.”
This creation is temporary not eternal. It has its own order which is temporary; everyone comes into this creation within this order and is subject to transience/death. We human beings are given the senses which need eternity. From there we understand that the Creator of the universe is promising human beings that there will be an eternal, endless and permanent creation (not absolute eternity), a continuous existence unlike the one we are experiencing here, with no end. “I do not want to become god. I am a created being and I will be a created being in the second creation as well I will not be subject to death, aging and I will be ever happy there because human feelings desire to be happy forever. This feeling is a promise from my Creator because I did not create this feeling and it is given to me. From this feeling, I can conclude that the One who gave me this feeling is promising a second creation. Whatever is created for me (good/bad according to my expectations) is for my second creation.”
- My Creator always chooses what is best for my 2nd creation.
Why can the Creator not choose the bad option for me for my second creation? Although here something may seem bad for me because I do not know what is good/best for me. In other words, why can’t my Creator have a bad decision about me?
Answer: I am His creation; I did not ask to be created. Now, as a result of this creation (or wealth given to me), I will never be happy with it unless I do not do what is best for me for my second creation. That is why we must leave the result to the Creator and concentrate on what is left for our free will.
This world is a preparation or a probation center. It is not a testing field. Think about it, my Creator is testing me for what? He knows everything about me. He is just giving us opportunities to do what is best for our second creation. If someone does not understand that he is being given an opportunity to train his spirit, then he may think that God is testing him. Rather, everything is an opportunity to prepare the human being for the second creation in the best way. This world is a world of opportunity to prepare for the second creation. The dictionary meaning (baliya or fitnaa in Arabic) says “test” but within the context of the Speech of the Creator, these are opportunities so that I will improve my potentiality in the best way.
- If I do not use the opportunity, then He gives another opportunity so that I will make the best of my life in this temporary world in order to get ready for the second creation.
- We should never read the Quran with dictionary meaning only.
How to internalize that this world is a probation center?
Probation center is similar to an employer giving you a 3 month trial period as an opportunity to see whether you are fit for the job. Similarly, the Creator of the universe gives you an opportunity in this creation to prepare yourself for the second creation in the best way. If we utilize this period/opportunity with utmost responsibility, then we are ready to receive the manifestation of the qualities of the Creator with no cause and effect relationship. Here, everything is created/given to us through a veil of causes or the order that we refer to. Example: if you do not cook, you do not get the food. If you do not walk/bike/drive, you do not reach the destination. The second creation is exactly what we desire: “I need results without the veils/cause & effect”. How much have you prepared yourself to realize/understand that your Creator can do it? In this creation, we use veils/means/cause & effect to get results. While using the means here (walking/biking/driving), have you reflected that the result is created by the Creator of the universe, the One who creates the order of the universe. Did you make sure that the result is not created by the bike or your muscles? How much did you make sure that the bike is not taking you but the Creator of the order of the universe that is carrying you? The Creator of your muscles and gravity that is taking you. The Creator of the Earth that is taking you. Only through His power that the result is created. If you make sure that these veils/means/cause & effect is just a veil to the Absolute Power of the Creator, then you will realize that the result is created by the Creator of the universe who has Absolute Power. In the second creation, you will be presented with the direct manifestation of the Absolute power, you will not need the means to reach your destination. That is why we must train ourselves in belief and for submission to the Power of the Creator in this probation center in order to be a candidate for a position in Paradise. Have I made sure that I acknowledged the power of the Creator in operation here? All the means are created by Him. The means/veils are not creating the results but are prepared by Him.
Question: Is the second aspect of what is created for me also a part of what I deserve?
Answer: What I deserve is based according to the usage of my free will and my intention of what I want to do in this world. Deserving side looks to the Creator who is the Creator of the order including the obvious/known and unknown side to us. Both sides must be obvious to the Creator, that is how we see the universe. Although there are many unknown factors in the universe, orderliness continues, and everything is perfectly arranged/managed. For example, animals eat plants, rain is sent… The unknown factor has nothing to do with the fact that human beings did not discover the unknown variables here. A deer crashing into a car is completely unknown to anyone, it cannot be discovered. What human beings can discover is only the aspect of the order, which is fixed, not the unknown side (for human beings).
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- “What I deserve” has completely to do with the Creator.
- I must take care of my freewill + my intention (what I want).
- Example: if I want to be happy in this world only (I do not believe in God and second creation), accordingly I will work and my Creator will decide for me to give me the opportunity to take notice of His existence and the second creation i.e. the end result of the life in this world.
- He will give me the opportunity to get to know Him. But I am free to take notice of it or not. I must make sure to understand that my Creator never intends to harm me or damage me.
- We can say that my Creator cannot have a bad decision about me, because I am His creation and I did not ask Him to create me. He gave me a spirit/soul from His own Soul. Do you think that a parent would want to have a baby to harm him/her? If a person makes a machine in order to destroy it, then it does not make sense. My Creator chooses what is best for me for my second creation. A reasonable/wise teacher wants to teach the student what is best for them rather than something harmful to them; otherwise, that contradicts the education system!
Some verses in the Quran may look as if God is giving me punishment. Rather, if I do something wrong, God will keep warning me/showing me that I am doing something wrong, please give up/go back. Isn’t this Mercy? Mercy is good. For example, if you keep cutting yourself, it hurts and if you continue, it hurts more because you need serious warning letting you know that what you are doing is wrong. That is the mercy of the Creator to give more pain so that we learn that we should not harm and hurt ourselves. My Creator never leaves me alone here! If I do something wrong, then he warns me and calls me back. If I do something good and acknowledge Him, He gives me more pleasure. Whenever we do something right, we feel pleasure and we are happy. It is an encouragement to keep doing the good, that is also God’s Mercy. Everywhere we see nothing but God’s Mercy.
- Deserving side looks to the Creator and the responsibility side looks to me with whatever I do here.
- I will try my best within the conditions of this universe and whatever the result is created, I say that this result is nothing but Mercy from my Creator.
- Example: if you do get the villa or not as a result of your working hard, that is Mercy from your Creator. You must acknowledge that and take lessons from it by adjusting yourself in a way to not interfere in God’s business because God always treats us in the best way and the most beneficial way for us. We need to understand this reality of the universe which is based on this.
53:49 “that He is the Lord of the Mighty Star (Sirius)”
The Creator of the universe is the Lord/Owner/Administer-er/Manager and takes care of everything and is the controller of sirius, the mighty star.
What is Sirius, the mighty star?
- An ultimate goal/objective for me.
What is my ultimate objective in this universe?
- I must know that this ultimate objective that I have in my heart, mind and feeling, I must acknowledge that the Lord of this ultimate objective that I am made to recognize is my Creator. It does not mean that I will obtain this goal, rather I will present my mighty star/ultimate objective to my Creator. He is going to Administer/Manage/Create it. I have to present to Him.
- What am I aiming for here?
- I have to understand that this target of my life must be left to my Creator and He will take care of it for me.
- I must bear in mind that only He can give it to me, this mighty star (eternity/second creation). I cannot get it myself as I cannot be the Lord of my mighty star.
He is the Lord of your mighty star. I cannot be the Lord; I cannot guarantee my existence here. Even if you say that I will be a billionaire or a king, yes, you can be such here but is that your mighty star/ultimate goal?
- Can you guarantee your existence here?
Can I be the Lord of my ultimate purpose?
Allahu rabbulalameen– I cannot be the Lord/Manager/protector of anything, I cannot guarantee anything, but assign the Creator of the universe to be your Grantor: “O my Creator I want this, I cannot guarantee but you can, please give me”.
I must understand that whatever objectives I have in my life, I cannot guarantee them, but I can only present my objectives to the Lord of the universe/manager of the universe. I must do my job but know that only the Lord of the universe can guarantee the mighty star for me.