Chapter Nas – Part 1

The chronologically 21^st revealed chapter of the Quran. Chapter Human Being (Nas)

114:1 “Say: I take refuge with the Lord of humanity,”

What is the parallel between daybreak and humanity?

Comment: “Daybreak” is what is being revealed and “humanity” is the addressee.

Human beings are the addressee of this revelation.   Just as we listen to the lab instructor and at the same time, we practice what is taught in the lab.  Similarly, the act of creation or daybreak symbolizes something, which is explaining the meaning of creation.  In other words, the Lord of humanity is explaining the meaning to human beings in human language.

Universe is the wider manifestation of act and human being is a dense manifestation of the same act and qualities.  Whatever qualities are found in the universe can also be found in man which is why it can be stated that man is equivalent to the mighty universe.  Human beings can discover the qualities manifested in both, the act and the verbal explanation (these two cannot be separated).  In the lab we are listening to the instructor by observing the manifestation of the act only.  However, we need a verbal explanation to accompany the lab observation.

• If you want to know someone, then you must investigate his/her work. Otherwise, if s/he does not expose his/her qualities, then we cannot know him/her.

It is common in the Muslim culture to forbid making images because it is taken as idol worshipping.  Why? What do we understand from idol worshipping? Can anyone worship something that they have made themselves? Idol worship is based on the notion of attributing the qualities wrongfully to someone or something that cannot be the owner of those qualities.  People may worship the artist of the art or just the art itself.  Example: If I am an artist, I perform my art and other people see my qualities in it.  Do people worship the art saying that the art is the creator?  No, but they may fall into worshipping the artist. You may see the culture promoting idols in different fields such as music, sports and movies.  That is, if you admire the quality of the art, you may start admiring the artist with the notion that the artist is the owner of his/her qualities.  Question whether the artist is the Source of the qualities of the art that you examine.  We need to watch for ourselves even though we may claim to be believers in God, but what do I attribute the qualities to?  As an artist, we may also fall into pride where we would expect admiration and respect for our art because we may think that the qualities belong to us and we own them.  Here we as the artist may become the idol, rather than the actual Source of Existence of the art and the quality of art.

We have to be in contact with the universe because it urges within us to admire the artist of the universe. That is how we can seek refuge with the Lord of humanity.  When you admire a human quality, you are supposed to admire the Creator of that quality and not the human being.  We need to make the Owner of the quality as our point of worship.  When you see any talent within yourself, if you listen to the revelation which gives us the clue (admire its Maker, it does not belong to you, you did not create it), then you always use your human senses, intelligence and beauty in His name.

• I do not admire the art itself but through the art, I am expected to admire the Artist.

Verbal explanation of His action is nothing extra or external for my being.  If that were not the case, then we would say that the Quran comes with guidelines incomprehensible by human beings.  Would the Speaker speak something that I do not understand?  No, the Speaker helps human being discover what is already within them.

Lord (Rabb) is a one that is sustaining the relationship between the universe and yourself.  Rabb goes into the qualities of act of creation.  Existence is maintained by the same Creator. It is not hard to understand this concept.

114:2 “the Sovereign of humanity”

“Maalik” is owner.  What exists in the universe is the property of its Creator.  Malik (Sovereign) means owning + overseeing everything.  We are the created beings of the One who creates the universe.  We are maintained in our existence and we have a Malik.

Human beings have freewill as compared to a tree.  I am free to choose what I want but at the same time, the consequence of my choice tells me whether I am right or wrong.  Example: if I claim not to be a student and I am free to do what I want, then I see my existence totally empty and meaningless.  For human beings, meaninglessness is not acceptable.  We mostly do not think the meaning of being a human being.

• What am I going to do with this existence?
• Why am I given so many senses?

If we do not question the meaning in our lives, then we feel meaningless in our existence.  That is why people feel lonely and are not satisfied in their existence.  Most of the problem of this age is experiencing meaninglessness in one’s existence.  Example:  As long as I have a fixed job with benefits, I am good.  How about my human side?  We should be thankful that death is created, otherwise, I cannot imagine my reality if death was not created.  Also, if there was no aging which is a sign that I am approaching death, then I would not strive to get out of meaninglessness and understand the meaning behind this existence.

We need to submit our freewill for its ultimate aim which is to acknowledge the true owner of the qualities we observe.  Just like the ruler of a kingdom employs his/her freewill so that people act accordingly, similarly you and I are in need of aligning our freewill to the Sovereign of this universe.

According to the meaning of my existence, I need to make decisions i.e. which objectives should I follow.  Having the concept of a “Sovereign” or “Malik” well established is necessary to understand one’s reality.

What is afterlife?   How can I confirm it?

Afterlife must be confirmed from my experience here.  I need to deduce about afterlife from witnessing this world.   We must use evidence from this world in order to understand afterlife.  Example:  if I fail a test, then I feel bad.  When I pass the test, then I feel good.  That is how the order is set up, where we are encouraged to proceed according to our feelings.  If I experience a meaningless existence, then that is what I will experience after death since I did not train myself here to fulfill the purpose of my existence which is to get to know who I am and who my Lord is.

After a certain age when we really start feeling the signs of aging, then it is inevitable to conclude that I am approaching death.  Even people may present you with temporary anti-aging solutions, what do you get out of people thinking that you are 10 years younger than your actual age?  You know your reality so live by it!

114:3 “God of humanity”

What is your God (ilah)?

My ultimate purpose to reach my object of worship (‘abd), I do not need anything beyond it.  Example: If I admire someone then I aspire to be like him/her.  Why do I admire and say this person is my idol?  Because I like his/her qualities and I want to be like him/her.  Similarly, we admire the Source of our Existence but of course we cannot be like It since we are created.

Ilah is a source that you feel secure with.  Every sense that we have must have its own ilah, look for the utmost point of satisfaction that we can reach.

• Human beings can only get satisfaction by attributing their senses to an Absolute Being.

Worship is between the created and the Creator, consciously establishing this relationship and attributing your existence to It.

• When I see that all my feelings can only be satisfied when they are identified with the Absolute, then I have one object of worship, ilah.

God= point of satisfaction

Finally, the more you like something transient, the more it is difficult for you to detach yourself from it.  Rather, look for a permanent source of satisfaction (rab, malik, ilah) and do not cheat yourself with temporary things.  Otherwise, you will never be satisfied within yourself and you will never establish a meaning in your existence.  Unless our Source of Existence or object of worship is perfect, human beings cannot be satisfied from their existence.  Only Ilah satisfies you, establish a worshipful relationship with It, and always remember and reach out to It.

• If you are not aware of your ilah, your worship turns into a petty superficial way of submitting to the Source of your Existence.