38:82 “I swear by your Might! I will certainly mislead them all.”
We must be aware that our arrogance (claims that we are self-sufficient and that we control our future) type attitude is our sworn enemy. We must be careful about this because nothing else should bother us besides this. I may be happy or unhappy about something, I may have some ambitions or fears about anything, and if I am considering the matter to be under my control, then I am in trouble and putting myself in trouble. Again, we must be careful.
The verse must not be taken as external to me. God says that I decided because My honor does not let you declare something against My Might, Power, Authority and Honor. “Aziz” means the top authority man (also mentioned in Prophet Joseph’s story), which comes from the same root (“izza”). That is, if anyone claims anything against His authority, His Ownership, His Creatorship, He never forgives. We must know that!
It is God’s decision that within myself, if I have this attitude, He will never forgive me. It means that He created this ego to mislead us, and warns us to be careful, not to follow this side of us. Otherwise, the Quran will repeat even more that the problems of life, stresses, whatever we are suffering from, losing our sleep for some unnecessary or serious considerations, there is no way that He will let it go. In other words, it cannot be ignored, He will respond back. Why is it that sometimes when I am doing something wrong, at the same time, I am not feeling anything negative (or being punished)? In other words, if I do something with my assumed artificial nature, not real nature, then I don’t feel anything negative about it.
Comment: If I do something and don’t feel anything, that can be the consequence of ignoring a framework of guidance. For example, I steal something and don’t feel bad about it, that is an indication of corrupting something internally.
If I do something wrong, and if my Creator does not let me know that I am doing something wrong, then I would not be responsible for it. Also, I will claim later that no one reminded me. Example: If I am not studying and I am feeling comfortable as successful, then when the graduation day comes, I am told that I failed, I will say that I did not see anything as wrong, no one reminded me of anything. It would be an opportunity for the human being to complain to God that You did not remind me. However, you cannot reduce the warning reminder to the message of the Quran (that the Quran is reminding there). Not many people are aware of the Quran as being a reminder to their true uncorrupted being (even the Muslims are not aware of what the Quran is teaching). It would go against the Mercy of God if I were left alone with my arrogance. It should affect me, in other words, I must be created in a way where I should feel it. In this verse, God is letting me know that this is My Might, My Reality and My Honor that I should not let you mislead yourself without Me treating you Mercifully.
We must be careful not to approach the Quran in a way that it becomes alien to us, i.e., mentions something which does not have anything to do with me, just a story where Iblis is a bad guy. If I am doing something wrong, and I don’t know anything apart from the pain in me, feeling unhappy about myself, reminded from within, I see that no one is telling me anything from outside, then I am not responsible for it.
Comment: The reminders that I receive from the Quran must match up my experiences, and the state of being that I am in, such as unhappiness. The unhappiness becomes a manifestation of Mercy because it is an opportunity to be reminded that I am wearing off and doing something that is against my creational command. What does Iblis represent here?
Human beings are in arrogance, and rebellions, when they see themselves as self-sufficient. That is, they are controlling their lives, they are arranging the world as they want, as if the universe is under our control. Example: when you are driving, you think that the car is under your control, the road is under your control… You are feeling confident as if you are relying on yourself or the car. Another point is explaining your existence, how do you see yourself, who are you in this world? That is why the Quran uses a strong language that you were a sperm, a disgusting origin, who took care of you? Who prepared this world for you as your home to be comfortable in this world? That is why the verse reminds you that you must think of your position in this world, and you cannot rely on anything in this world, let alone yourself. Yourself is unable to do anything, how about the dead, lifeless unconscious matter, can it arrange anything by itself in this world? Even the capacity of a human being cannot change anything in this world, just obeys the order. Whatever I give you, you use it, everything is My favor, your ability is My favor, whatever you are given permission to use is My favor. You have nothing to claim. That is why if someone sees himself/herself with a self-centric interpretation of one’s existence, controlling his/her world by himself/herself alone without being aware that I am responsible before someone else (because everything belongs to Him not me), then s/he will never feel content in his/her existence. We must take a humble attitude that you are favoring me and controlling everything, I need your help only. We must acknowledge it; this is within ourselves, and we have this option of choosing.
Comment: In this civilization, people hide their arrogance, or they don’t feel any warnings that come to them well-suited with their conscience. You were asking initially that if someone does not feel anything, it seems that this civilization has normalized a lot of things.
If I define myself as a body only and decide that all my feelings are artificial and not real, then I can play the role as if nothing is affecting me. However, ultimately, such a person should inevitably feel something within themselves, and they ignore it. The explicit explanation (philosophy) that they come forward within this civilization is that to enjoy your life until you die, for there is nothing else afterwards. Your responsibility is to enjoy yourself; this does not mean that we are left alone. How many people are just tied up and imprisoned by addictions? Even the Government power could not stop addictions. At one point, the US tried to prohibit alcohol production, and then people made their own. What does it mean? You cannot have a top-down approach to control people, and something is disturbing that needs to be numbed. Why is addiction becoming wider in this civilization? People have a worldview in this way. When people are very successful, what do they do? They celebrate with alcohol, why? Numbing themselves. Not only in a troubled position but also in juxtaposition, they don’t know how to handle it, because they cannot really express their thankfulness to something/someone. They feel themselves in a vacuum, and we see that they are apparently happy in their own lives, because they don’t feel anything. They don’t question the purpose of their existence and they turn blind to it. But even if people deny their reality and try to ignore it, the human conscience is still there which never dies completely.
Comment: The initial question was is it possible for a person to do wrong and feel nothing about it or feel good? If a person is aware that it is wrong, then it is impossible to feel good about something that she defines as wrong? The reality is that I take the definition of right and wrong in the context that I live in, therefore, everyone can like something, take something as good or bad, dislike something. Everyone has a definition of right or wrong, if I look at myself, am I just flesh and bone? Am I going to pay attention to myself as a body? Am I going to take my needs of yearning for Eternal good and accordingly take the definition of right and wrong? There is room for every human being to define what is right and wrong for himself according to his definition of himself.
Yes, I am free to define myself and existence according to my choice and in any case, my reality does not change. That is, if I define that I am just body and bodily I am comfortable, it does not mean that I will feel comfortable within myself.
Comment: The way that I define myself is how much I will feel the need that something is contradicting within me. Going back to the initial query that if someone does not feel anything, then everything is good because no messages came to them, so they are not responsible. It also depends on how I define myself, perhaps I am not reading myself or I am numbing that which I am supposed to read.
Yes, we cannot escape it, but we can interpret it. Example: if I am having an acupuncture treatment, I may pretend that it is not hurting. But human consciousness never confuses that it is not hurting, rather something is disturbing you, admit it although you do not complain about it. My interpretation may give me the opportunity to pretend but the pain of the needle hurting me is there. The pain does not go away. One fine point to take into consideration: when we are convinced within ourselves that something is good for me, then my consciousness is comfortable, and I do not feel anything, but I must be convinced. Example: I am doing some weightlifting as my own choice. Although it is tiring or I am lifting heavy stuff, my consciousness knows that it is good for my body, and I am convinced that it is good for me, so I do not feel pain but feeling tired is there. However, if I do something under the command of someone else by force, then I will feel the pain, because my consciousness lets me know that this is against your choice, and you don’t see any benefit in it. Your interpretation affects your complaints, but this interpretation is done about one’s own awareness, not cheating oneself.
Comment: Is it then fair to say that it is impossible to not feel uncomfortable? That is, there are always some sorts of messages coming in.
Yes, that is correct. If there is no warning from within, and through God’s messengers, then I would not be responsible for anything. Example: People who cannot control their minds, such as mentally disabled, are not responsible for anything. Even by secular law, they are not responsible for anything. If someone does something wrong, according to the civil/secular law, not knowing the law is not an excuse. Example: I did not know that stealing was prohibited. This is not an excuse. There are so many things in law that we do not know, but we are still responsible for it, because the laws are supposed to go along with our true nature. It means the messenger within me is always there (internal), and God’s Mercy says that a messenger from what He has employed to give you the verbal explanation of the same reality. The messenger within myself is my own spirit, directly coming from Him.
The message was revealed to the Prophets through Rooh-ul-quds, in the language of the scriptures (Gabriel). It was specially revealed to a Prophet, so that verbally, the reality of the human being is going to be explained. My spirit is also from God’s spirit. The same Origin, they must be working together in harmony, and there should be no conflict between them. God’s Mercy reveals two of them together. Example: when I receive something that I am happy with, I must express my enjoyment. Human beings have parties and celebrations. The Prophet comes and tells us that you must respond to this event with thankfulness, being grateful, praising the One who gave it to you, don’t claim that I am the one responsible for my success, rather I am given success by my Creator, that is the opportunity He has provided us. That is what the inside cannot know. Those people who deliberately deny the scriptures (the Prophetic messages), respond in a way that goes against human nature (by falling into addictions and numbing their feelings in various ways.)
We should never underestimate that human spirit as coming from God’s spirit. At the same time, we should not be very sensitive about how every truth comes from scriptures (“wahi”/revelations). If the scripture is not there, then people are not responsible for how to respond to what they are experiencing? Whatever human beings are experiencing, even if they condition themselves otherwise, is always within their responsibility. Example: if someone claims that the matter is acting on its own. Neither the scripture nor human consciousness/capacity can approve this. Even matter itself can not bear any evidence for it. Impossible! Don’t be silly saying that matter is acting on its own! Even a simple table cannot become a piece of furniture by itself throughout billions of years of accidents. Human rationality cannot give it a chance of possibility. Concluding the truth is within our responsibility.
It is Springtime and we notice that the animals are taking care of their young ones. Also, we see in the world that even the Atheists are taking care of their young. Are they doing that because the scriptures told them not to bury their young ones? Not at all, it has nothing to do with the scriptures. This is the messenger/revelation within me, which we all follow. If someone does not care about his children, and he did not receive any message from the scripture asking him not to bury his children alive, is he still responsible for taking care of the needs of their children? Yes. The verse says: We will not take into account and punish those We have not sent messengers until we have sent messengers. (Qur’an, 17: 15) Of course, we must understand messengers in both senses, within myself (internal) and the Prophets (external). I may follow the messenger within myself, am I going to be rewarded? Yes, according to being honest to God’s creation. But, if I am aware of the messenger out there, explaining to me verbally, giving me a framework of behavior that I must celebrate my excitement, and success in praising God, thanking Him…, and if I ignore that external messenger, then I am responsible for it because what the messenger gave me is the right version of how to celebrate my success. Example: how to take care of my child effectively according to the scripture is for those people who are aware of what scripture says. But taking care of the essential needs of the children, protecting their lives, feeding them does not need the prophetic message. Neither saying that only the scripture is the guide or saying that only the human messenger within myself is the guide solves anything. They must work harmoniously in their respective field. One is denying that God’s religion is the religion of “fitrah”, and the other is saying that only my internal messenger is the religion (that is only valid for the people who are not aware of the Messengers). Those people who consciously take a negative rejective attitude towards the Prophets, are responsible.
I am aware of the Prophetic messages that teach me how to manage my excitements, anxieties, and treatments of the universe, and understanding how the universe’s message refers to an Absolute Being, these are all within the responsibilities of those people who are aware of the Prophetic message. All human beings except mentally disabled people are responsible to follow the internal message. The supporters of the Messengers should not deny the human feelings (human soul, spirit) because the Message says that God’s religion is the religion of fitrah (the way we are created) by saying that the Revelation is enough for us. On the other hand, those who call themselves “humanists”, believe in God and follow their consciousness, their internal messenger only, however they say that it is their own consciousness that they follow, and ignore the Prophet, reject it after knowing it and being aware of it. To follow both ways harmoniously is a consistent way of understanding.
Comment: What does the awareness of the Prophetic message entails or encompasses? It is like a stage-by-stage process?
It all depends on a man’s capacity. An illiterate man is responsible within his/her capacity, and you are responsible within your capacity. Example: As the Quran says, isn’t it high time to admit that we are aware of the value of the Quranic message, but we don’t take it seriously and learn it to get into it? “Remember when We … said, ‘Hold on firmly to what We have given you, and listen to [what We say].’ They said, ‘We hear and we disobey,’ (2: 93) That is my responsibility. How about an illiterate man? For any reason, he chose to be illiterate and ignore the Prophetic message. I am already aware of the importance of the teachings of the Quran, but I do not spend time and plan my life accordingly. Am I not responsible for it? Yes, you are. Let’s say in a Muslim country generally speaking, nowadays, young generations are opening their eyes and they compare between those people who claim to be the follower of the Quran and those people who claim to be humanists. Which one is more appealing? Humanists. How can you blame this young person? We must be careful, realistic and admit our negligence, our failure as contradicting the requirements of the Quran by ignoring the reality and feeling, claiming to be satisfied with my claim to be Muslim, that I believe in the Quran, it is God’s word. What does it mean? God’s word is speaking to you now, and you are not listening, you are busy with your friends and text messages talking nonsense. Which one is more important? Lots of misrepresentation of religion, and extreme presentation of the Quran by the Muslim community is the only obstacle to make sense of God’s religion on a rational base.
We must combine human nature with what revelation reveals. One extreme side is the misinterpretation of such verses as: As you are set, that is how God’s fitrah is, and it does not change, and you must follow it. ’So as a man of pure faith, stand firm and true in your devotion to the religion. This is the fitrah (natural disposition) God instilled in mankind- there is no altering God’s creation- and this is the right religion, though most people do not realize it.’ (30: 30) Another extreme side is the wide practice of ignoring the witnessing and message of the universe, ignoring the witness and message of human nature (fitrah, the way God creates), but emphasizing only on the importance of the revelation’s literal meaning. This leads to failure and because of this attitude the Muslim community is losing blood. Why should I cheat myself and keep being negligent in my responsibilities for taking both of these revelations of God to human beings? I should stop blaming arrogant Orientalists, who are somewhat responsible along with people who propagate Atheistic ideas with twisted languages, as the Quran says: “They have no knowledge about this, nor did their forefathers––it is a monstrous assertion that comes out of their mouths: what they say is nothing but lies.” (18: 5).” Not because of what they say is a lie, rather they are lying according to their own knowledge within themselves. Example: if I thought that these spectacles have four temples, is it a lie? No, because that is what I know so it is not a lie. Here, my knowledge is wrong, so I am not responsible for lying, but maybe for not learning the truth. However, when I know that it only has two temples, and still insist on saying that it has four temples, then I am lying. The word “kadhiba”, in the Quran means that not only the content of what they are saying is a lie, but they are lying themselves, not because their knowledge is wrong, rather they know the truth and twist their language by making it in a way “that is how it happens”. However, Atheists know that it cannot happen by itself because matter itself cannot decide from within. Human messengers say that it cannot happen by itself. They don’t explicitly say that things happen by themselves or create themselves, rather that is how it happens. What a twisted language!? Even some verses in the Quran alludes to how the children of Israel were hiding some verses with their fingers from reading and were dislocating some words to make the meaning out of context at the expense of not admitting the reality. (Some Jews take words out of context and say, “We listen and we disobey,” (4: 46) Today’s children of Israel are scientists that claim that their interpretation is right by attributing the action of the matter to matter itself.
Comment: when you lose a loved one, it reminds you of death. The civilization says that life goes on. Even your loved ones used to say that. Take lessons from all these events.
Internal messenger is more respected by non-Muslim people. We must be ashamed of ourselves, admire them, and take lessons from them. Humanist activities are done for a wrong reason, and we must do it for a right reason. We must express our over-joyful successes in the way that the religion requires, not in a way that those people who do not know and do not recognize an external Prophet. For example, when they celebrate their successes, it is to recognize the internal messenger, but how to celebrate must be corrected and needs to be done in the right way. That is, we must take the internal messengers, as seriously as we can. While we are understanding the Quran, we must combine the three messengers at the same time, i.e., the Quran, (the Prophetic message,) and the exemplary life of the Prophet on one side, the fitrah on the other, and the universe on another side. When the Quran is presented to people, it should make sense to those who genuinely investigate the truth, only then, can they say, “yes, I feel that way.” Unless those people who are obstinate and decide to cheat themselves at the expense of not being realistic to themselves, and lying to themselves, then you cannot convince such people. That is why the Quran explicitly says this verse: If someone deliberately rejects reality, you should not feel sorry for them because they are doing it deliberately. “But are you going to worry yourself to death over them if they do not believe in this message?” (18: 5) However, you should keep reminding and spreading the message to those people who do not have such attitudes, people who are open to listen. Again, we must present the Quranic message within the context of the 3 messengers at the same time and see how the Quran is perfectly located at the core of these 3 messengers (the universe, my nature as I am created -fitrah-, and the Prophetic side). This approach of studying the Quran needs to be revived.
The Quran says that God’s religion is never changed, that is how human beings are created. God’s religion never changes, because the human messenger (fitrah) never changes. While we are studying and presenting the Quran, we must see how the three witnesses are combined and confirm what we are physically experiencing outside the world and psychologically experiencing within ourselves. There is no way to escape reality. We must understand why people who are not interested in the message of the Quran, we must look at how we present the Quran to people. It is easy to give sermons to people who are ready to listen to you, we love it, and some people need it. The great majority of the people are not aware of the message of the Quran, and still, they submit to the Quran, look at how much time they spend studying it and they are loyal to the Quran, you will understand the appalling situation. Listen to the Qur’an: “The Messenger has cried, “O my Lord! My people have indeed received this Quran with neglect.” (25: 30)
38:83 “except for those among them who are Your sincere purified worshippers.”
“Mukhlis”/purified in this sense is not chosen as being privileged people, although some translations say it this way. It cannot be this way. Anyone being exceptionally favored by God goes against the teachings of tawhid/Uniqueness of God and His Justice. We must understand that they themselves purified themselves by not being obstinate and arrogant. Those people will not be misled by their arrogant ego. If you say, how can I get rid of this influence of the negative side of me so that I can be more comfortable with handling it while rejecting it? Just be very decisive within yourself! If you say that “I cannot,” it means that you are saying that God created you with a disability. We have free will and should stop cheating ourselves, unless you have a biological problem with your reasoning, which is not within your responsibility. That is, creating someone with brain damage is not your choice, rather God’s choice, so you are not responsible for it. Such people may have awareness of feeling the pain, but they are not responsible for interpreting those feelings. This feeling of pain will definitely be recompensed by forgiveness. The hereafter must reflect that. Our life is so vast that it cannot be confined to this world only, impossible! We cannot be created for this world. The One who created me, even “nature” cannot create me with a huge capacity that goes beyond this universe, and at the end, kills me in a meaningless way. That is contradictory, the One who is able to create me, must be able to extend my life from above the limitations of this universe. But nature within its capacity cannot promise me anything apart from this universe.
38:84 “God said, this is the truth- I speak only the truth.”
It means if you think about it, then you will understand that it is your reality. There is no way to miss it.
38:85 “I will surely fill hell with you and those who follow you, all together.”
38:86 “Say, I ask from you no reward for this message, and I am not one of those who claim to be what they are not.”
Everyone is the first addressee of their own message (internal). If you have the opportunity to enjoy the external message, wouldn’t you like others to enjoy and benefit from this message as well? Don’t be selfish and stingy, share it that is how you are> Just as God is Generous to you, you must be generous as well by sharing all the blessings you received from God. While you are doing this, tell them that I am not expecting any reward for this. It means that I should be loyal and respectful to how I am created, just practice it. Through this respect, you must be respectful to the One that created you, be consistent with it, and don’t take a share in it because nothing belongs to you, you only have free will to choose to deny or accept.
“Mutakallif” means that he is not at a higher situation and yet claims to be at a higher status. That is, the Qur’an is asking you just to be yourself. Just be realistic and don’t play a role.
38:78 “It is only a reminder to the whole world.”
When you receive a blessing from your Creator, let’s say 2lbs of banana. The benefit from the banana is not only for you to benefit but for everyone to benefit. If you have some more than what you need, give it to others because it is for everyone. If you know something (Absolute/ghaib/the reality of what existence is), don’t be stingy that I am not going to reveal everything, rather keep something for myself only, so that people will come to you and knock your door for favors. Rather, before they come to you, you should go to them. In other words, don’t be selfish and stingy, rather generously share what you have been given. Also, remember not to be oppressing and being aggressive or bossy to people and just reminding them of their reality. Nothing beyond reminding! The Qur’an describes the Prophet and the followers of the Prophetic tradition as “and he is not one to begrudge others ‘what is revealed to him of’ the unseen.” (81: 24)
38:79 “In time you will certainly come to know its truth.”
At the end, everyone will know the truth, sooner or later. Hence, if someone does not listen to you and rejects you, blames you, because some people don’t like to be reminded, don’t worry because at the end, everything will be clear to everyone, and they will know it.
God only gives responsibility to someone that can be trusted (a Prophet), not you and me. In the Quran the Prophet is described as not claiming any super-natural status in existence, I am like you, but this is the message given to me and I am just conveying it. “Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I am only a man like you, ˹but˺ it has been revealed to me that your God is only One God. So whoever hopes for the meeting with their Lord, let them do good deeds and associate none in the worship of their Lord.” (18: 110) The word “mutakallim”, means to claim to be what you are not. That is, the Prophets are not going to declare that they have achieved a higher status in existence, that is why they are chosen, rather they will say that they are like you, mortal human beings like you, this message is given to me, and I am not appropriating it to myself. It is not my knowledge or what I discovered, rather it is given to me. In the example above, if you have 2 lbs. of banana, don’t say that you earned it, rather it is given to you. You must give it in the name of the One who creates it, not in the name of yourself. Don’t claim to be the Creator of the banana, or the Owner of the banana. You are only given the permission to use it, but you don’t have to use it if you don’t need it.