Chapter Sa’d – Part 24

Recap: God asked Iblis to serve the human beings so they will get to know Him better through creation.  Iblis did not accept it because he made a comparison between body-to-body interaction and ignored the spiritual side of the human being.  In other words, Iblis regards the human being as a body only.  Similarly, nowadays, all the scientists who claim that they don’t believe in God, look only at the material side of the universe and try to find out how it works within a set order, and ignore the meaning manifested in it (Angelic side).  Our “Iblistic” (Iblis like) side does not want to acknowledge the need of our spirit that needs the meaning in its existence

38:79 “Iblis said, “My Lord! Then delay my end until the Day all shall be raised from the dead.”

We should never expect that our egoistic tendencies (or our Iblis side) will leave us alone until we die.  Iblis accepts that He is created by God and accepts God as His Lord.  That is, our egoistic side always pulls us towards the cause of the existence of this universe within itself.  How does it exists and work  by itself?  After taking the Iblistic attitude and deciding that I am going to see the universe and myself as consisting of body and matter only, they make up the cause of existence of anything to be “evolution”, “cause & effect” and “nature” working independently of an Agent as they have free will to decide and take action.  It is a misleading interpretation, but it is within human nature that we understand that we need a cause of the existence of this universe for our being.  That is so obvious!  

There must be a Source of Existence of this universe because like anything else we cannot control the universe, we obey the universe willingly or unwillingly.  We can  easily understand that the set establishment of the universe is someone else’s choice, not mine, and I and every piece of the universe must follow it.  Whether I am an Atheist, enemy of God or whatever my tongue claims to be, still I am the follower and necessary obedient one of the will of the Creator of the universe.  That is within every creature that is created with free will and we cannot get rid of it.  That is why Iblis accepts that his Creator is the Lord of the universe and still asks for permission from God. Although Iblis disobeyed God, it still asks for permission to rebel against Him.  That is a contradiction which we do in our practical life, ‘we always ask the permission of God’.  In other words, without obeying and following God’s choice, we cannot do anything.  Only with the permission of the established system of the order of the universe, can we do something.  If the order of the universe does not permit us, we cannot do anything.  That is why scientists always look within the established order of the universe on how to make research, conclude and no one can establish a new system for they are obeying God (the Order-er of the universe).  Even the formulas and equations are derived according to the law and order of the universe.  By obeying God’s will, we are asking for His permission.  Example: if you obey the law of a country, you are getting permission from the law of the state. 

If my Creator decides that death is going to manifest in my existence, no one can stop it.  The Quran explicitly states all these facts presenting to our attention to be careful.  God says that if you ask His permission and obey the order in creation, you will be given permission.  Here, you don’t have to believe in God, you can say that I am obeying natural laws, does not matter because at the end of the day, you are following God’s established order.  Why? Because you cannot find any source of existence of the order of the universe within the universe itself.  It is logically contradictory to look for the source of existence within the universe and to say that the universe exists within its order.  If the principles are there, then existence takes place within these principles of creation.  The order simply means the principles of creation, manifestation of the will of the Creator. The matter cannot act on its own without following the order. Order must exist prior to the existence of the substance of the universe. 

Comment: So, what does delay mean? What is being delayed? The Angelic side is aware of the will of the Creator and the other side is not?

The Angelic side means the aspect of my creation which acts according to God’s will and manifests in me.  The Angelic side of creation means demonstrating the qualities of the source of the existence of the order of the universe.  That is, we cannot understand the Absolute Creator if He does not transfer its will into a limited created form.  This transformation is the act of the angels as the Quran represents it.  The Angelic side means meaning which means the qualities manifested in the creation.  That is why we start reasoning from the Angelic side of the universe, i.e., meaning and qualities, which means limited created qualities pointing that my source must be Absolute.  That is why we go through this ascension of belief, the Angelic side (the Quranic language, “malakut”, angels are “malak”, and the authority of God is “maleek”) as a starting point.  These are different perspectives from our side on how to understand the Absoluteness of God, as they are manifested here in the form of creation/created, so we can have a beginning and end, encompass the object, handle it, and analyze it.  Otherwise, we cannot analyze the objects if they were not in the created form.  Also, can you handle the infinite itself?  No, it should manifest here partially.  Example:  someone’s knowledge is in his mind; can you know it?  No, but if s/he speaks and writes a limited book, can you read what is in his/her mind? Yes, but you cannot get what is in his/her mind in its entirety.  Only, after the qualities/Angelic side/meaning of the universe, are manifested in the form of existence/creation out there that we can understand.  That is, we can know that the source must have knowledge, wisdom, power and all the qualities that we see in the world.  It is so simple, if only we start from creation, using our ability with no bias approach, and opening to reason within our capacity.  We are responsible within our capacity; we are not responsible for something that we cannot comprehend, especially the essence of anything. Our capacity allows us only to comprehend the necessity of the existence of the non-material side of the universe.

When we read the Quran, we should never historicize it, rather we must apply it to our practical life in every case.  It is directly related to me.  Everything mentioned in the Prophetic narrations applies to one of our side, reality, and our relationship with the rest of the world, and our consciousness/intelligence transfers into sensual perception and concludes.  It makes sense, but does it apply to my reality?  Example: Someone tells you that your Creator creates you and gives you all these qualities and senses, and then will send you into annihilation (non-existence) after you die.  My senses rebel and get angry with this Creator: why did you create me then? Why did you let me taste the pleasure of existence then? Now I am afraid of losing it because I know you are going to kill me?  That is why those people who don’t’ accept the Creator are angry with God and try to deny Him, saying even if you are there, I don’t believe it, because they don’t believe in the hereafter and don’t believe in the Creator of the capacity of their human side, which requires infinite existence and satisfaction.  Example: if you do something wrong, this mistake of doing something wrong, such as telling a lie and injustice, must be punished because we don’t want it.  If someone harms someone unjustly, don’t you want revenge?  This sense of revenge is also representative of God’s Quality of “Revenger.”  If someone insults you, you defend your honor, don’t you?  This sense of honor is also the representative of God’s Quality.  

38:80 “Allah said, You will be delayed.” 

“delay” is giving permission and letting the man use his/her qualities so that s/he may remember later and repent.  That is, giving an opportunity, not only one attempt, just like a teacher gives several assessments throughout the course of the year.  At the end of the school year, some students get a degree, some don’t.  Is there any school that gives degrees to anyone regardless of their performance?  Is that a way of training oneself?  That is why we are here to educate ourselves and train in the school of the universe to get to know the Source of our existence so that we will be excited about Him and ask Him to satisfy my desires as He promised me by giving these desires in me.  That is the relationship between me and my Creator that we see here.  Even Iblis’s prayer is accepted, what does it mean?  That is, if I say that I do not want to submit myself to the Creator, then the permission is given.  If I say that I want to kill this forest, the permission is given by obeying the order temporarily in this world.  That is, if something is horrible, why does God allow it?  Here, permission is given.  This is the sign of the significance of our free will, which is an important  point that we should not forget.  I am not responsible for my intelligence, my ability to speak or not, my feelings, my body, but I am responsible for only one thing, my free will.  I must watch out!  In both senses, we obey His order in creation.  Example: If someone makes a nuclear weapon according to the requirements of creation, the permission is given if s/he obeys the order.  Can you kill a man without obeying God’s order? No.  But why does God allow it?  That is God’s promise to you, whatever you do in this world, you are set free to do what wishes you within the order of the universe, if you obey the order of the universe, it is automatically accepted.  That is why the Quran says that we offer the trust (amanaa) to the sky, the sea, and the mountains, but they shunned away from it.  The human being took it, what does it mean?  “I have given you this potentiality.”  That is, our ability to do things are endless.  When it comes to doing negative things, if that was limited, as opposed to doing positive things, will I have a free will?  No.  Example: if a person is enrolled in a school, does s/he have the capacity to attend the classes and hold a degree? Yes.  Similarly, this person also has the option not to attend class (not to learn) and not get a degree.  If the latter option was not available, then you will be obliged to learn, and the learning process is not freely taking place. If everyone had to choose only good, what would be the point in being created in this world? We do not learn anything and remain as we have been created. Thus, free will is always operational here.  When you go to sleep, remember that you have free will, and when you wake up, remember the same thing, that is your responsibility.  Then, believe in God, Angels, and the Quran come afterwards.  First, acknowledge that you are free and that you ask permission from your Creator by obeying His order/will manifested in the universe.

Have you decided to become a Muslim after childhood?  You must use your free will to confirm your reality for yourself.  Example: my father is a lawyer, if I don’t go to law school, can I become a lawyer?  No.  

Comment: Why does God accept the prayer when we obey His will and do not punish immediately?

Our senses are created in such a way that when I do something wrong, I try to hide it.  Doing good is encouraged within our own existence, everyone is happy and proud of his/her good actions.  Example: if you see someone on the street that needs to be rushed to the doctor immediately, you take the person as soon as possible.  Then you never forget and keep mentioning it to your grandkids.  However, if you do something wrong, you don’t mention it, just warn people to never do it.  “I repent and understand that it was horrible.”  That is why God gives us time to repent until the appointed hour.  Hence the end is not clear, and we should be careful at every moment because we don’t know when the school of the universe will be closed.  Example: if a freshman is taken out of school, is he responsible for senior year?  No.  School knows it, which means that God decides the points in our life journey, and we are responsible only during this period, when I was born  and when I die (birth to death).  It does not mean that we can wait, because we don’t know when I will die, therefore, I must be alert all the time (as I can be taken away anytime).

I know that I will be given my end in this form of existence, but my feelings yearn for eternal Paradise, because the yearning of the feelings for eternal Paradise is not addressing to the limits of this universe, created form, rather it is addressing and presenting their expectations to the Creator of the universe.  Although we may rebel against God, rebellion is my mistake, and I rebel God within His permission, still obeying His will, because I am using the free will He has given to me. 

31:24 “We let them enjoy themselves for a little while, but We shall drive them to a harsh torment.”

People keep complaining because they cannot take into consideration in a convincing way that resurrection, the next creation must happen.  The reality of the universe and my existence necessitates it.  If they are not convinced about it and don’t consider reasoning, then claiming that why does God let evil action happen in this world is answered by the verse i.e.  we let them enjoy themselves for a little while.  Example: if a person does not study, he fails at the end of the school year.  During the school year, they are given the permission to stay there, until the end of the year, if s/he does not learn anything, then s/he fails.  No one is let go in the middle of the year because by the end of the year, chances are that the student realizes his/her laziness and may ask for a make-up exam to prove that s/he has learned the lesson.  If the teacher is a wise man, he will honor that it was the point in the education and the student learned it. However, during the school year, the students are given the deadlines to submit assignments to discipline themselves.  Be careful!  The deadline in the school of the universe is not known or definite, the Administration of the universe decides as He wills.  

“Enjoying” means benefitting from the outward blessings of God, which they may say “natural”. He will be asked: “All these things were given to you by “nature”, now ask your nature to satisfy what your infinite expectations and what the feelings desire? Have it!  Have you understood that it cannot be given existence by itself?  Have you understood that it is not natural?”  Now, the death time comes, and this person will be deprived of everything.  We see that people are enjoying themselves even when they deny God and they don’t take notice of religion.  Yes, they enjoy temporarily on matter itself, while a believer enjoys not only the matter itself but also sees the news/message on it and attaches its hope for permanent enjoyment on the Creator of that object.  That is the difference, the deniers satisfy themselves with what is given to them in the same amount as the believers.  They enjoy the same amount of food and pleasure but their interpretation and attitude towards the pleasure differs.  One of them says that this food gives me pleasure and as s/he eats it, the source of pleasure disappears.  While for a believer as he eats it, the source of pleasure becomes immense and infinite: “Only the Creator of the universe can do this, please I want You now.”  

It always depends on our attitude, how much of our human side is satisfied.  The satisfaction of our animal side is always equal, an unbeliever also tastes the delicious food.  Example: A disbeliever and believer do farming and get a certain amount of produce if they follow the same order.  The difference is that one of them is experiencing the infinite Mercy of the Creator of this production, while the other is only pleased with temporary enjoyment.  What lens are you using to interpret events?  The Quran always makes this comparison about which perspective are you approaching an event from, you are free there?  Example: if you choose the negative lens (denial), your world is dark, whereas if you choose the positive lens (accepting your Source of Existence), your world is bright.

31: 25 “If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they are sure to say, God. Praise belongs to God, but most of them do not understand.”

There must be a Creator, I believe in God.  Iblis said you created me, you are my Lord, give me permission, what a good believer who accepts who his Lord is.  However, they do not realize what they are saying, it is just a belief in an external God (someone who created me).  Example: you are born from your mother, you may respect her or not, but you cannot deny that you are from your mother. 

38:82 “Iblis said, ‘I swear by your Might I will certainly mislead them all.’”

38: 83 “except for those among them who are Your sincere purified worshippers.”

Egoistic side is a sworn enemy of our spiritual side.  Those people who claim that they don’t believe in God and try to spread their ideologies are sworn enemies.  This does not include school students who are innocent while taking science classes they are taught that creatures are developing and evolving by themselves.  Example: a cell, a fetus, a baby, child, grown up and old man.  Is the cell developing by itself?  The cell must be like a Divine being knowing everything.  We should not call them Agnostic and Atheist young people for they don’t think seriously, and we have not presented them with the right approach to think about existence.  We must ask the young people to reason and question!

Our ego will never submit to us and will always pull us in the negative sense, rejection of the truth and ignore it.  If it cannot convince you, then it asks you to be neglectful: “tomorrow or next year, when you get a house then sit and then study the Quran.”  Excuses upon excuses…  when I retire, then you are busy with wealth distribution, no matter what stage of life one is in, you are still busy with your own loads.

Everything is under His will and every decision is under my will.  But my will has to obey His will, while I am obeying the will of my Creator, I am free to interpret it anyway I choose. That is, I am obeying the Divine decision and the result will be manifested in the form of the universe, or I am obeying natural laws.  Again, I am free to interpret events/existence whichever way.  Just as two people are presented with the same food and eat it in the same way.  Their free will interprets it in two ways, one of them is baseless with no evidence, the other one is completely rational and complies with human senses.  If I say that you will die after having this delicious food, you say that what can I do not to die?  It is inevitable not to die, do you want to extend your life and health?  Yes.  People are frightened to lose their health and life.  It shows that both sides (denial and belief) are given the desire to have a perfect happy existence.

When human beings deny reality and reject the Creator, it is when they see themselves and the universe as self-sufficient.  When you try to understand the Quran as related to your reality, it becomes bottomless, because you cannot get to the end of your reality, end of the reality of creation, and end of the reality of God itself, because everything is the production of the Absolute Creator.  It does not mean that we have scratched the bottom, rather every time, we have a different approach, with practical guidance.  The Quran’s aim is not to teach us Arabic or information, rather to educate and train us, so we must read the Quran according to its purpose, to educate ourselves.  That is why when we refer to our reality, on the spot we find ourselves with deep meaning and we must digest it with practical examples related to our lives as the method of the Quran.  

The meaning in the Quran is deep when I apply to my case, just as the owners of the two gardens have different attitudes.  We have the freedom to choose the best and work within the limitations of God’s will, i.e., the conditions of the creation of the universe.  Both deniers and believers obey the order, and they have no difference as far as their responsibility in following the order is cornered, however, the denying attitude doesn’t have any satisfaction while doing anything.  The believing attitude on the other hand, is satisfied with recognizing his/her Lord as to be the Provider of eternal satisfaction.  We must try our best to adapt to the believing attitude.  Example: while the believers are performing religious rituals (sharing property with needy ones, fasting, not gambling…) they will get infinite pleasure from life knowing that their existence belongs to an Absolute Creator, otherwise they will have to take pills to console themselves.  That is the reality as God’s favor to us, in this world; in the hereafter, we will see when we are transferred there, what will happen to us from our Absolute Creator.