Given: I can communicate with the universe. For example, I physically communicate with a tree by watering it and picking fruits from it.
Prove: I communicate with the tree through my human qualities. There is more to the tree than it being just matter.
In order to prove the above, I need a teacher, a person that is well versed in interpreting the meaning of this universe.
Jurisprudential matters are presented to us through the Prophets. If there were no Prophets, there would be no rules. If there were no rules, I would be left on my own to interpret the universe and the meaning of my existence. Without any guidance from my Creator, I can communicate with the universe but I am not able to comprehend the meaning of the universe which refers to beyond the universe, the Absolute.
Matter keeps saying: I am meaningful, I communicate with you. Hence, matter does not only consist of its physicality. The Prophets apprise me that I am made in a way that I have the ability to ask matter (objects/events) in the universe: WHY DO YOU EXIST?
- Prophets teach me how to decipher meaning from matter by using my human qualities and feelings.
I am in constant need of guidance from my Creator to teach me why It has created the universe and what is expected of me in this universe?
I find myself not knowing how to manipulate my understanding of the physical conditions of this universe in my practical physical life. I might have learned something from a certain culture but culture varies per society. Hence, a societal culture cannot provide me with the truth i.e. nothing in this universe can claim to hold the truth. If you come across a person who is claiming to hold the truth and if you genuinely feel that his way seems truthful to you, then inevitably you will follow his way/teachings. We are given the ability to make comparisons but whatever we conclude is subjective to us. That is, I can never claim that what I conclude is ultimately the truth. In order to work on my subjective conclusion, I need guidance which helps me be convinced and re-convinced: “Yes, this must be true.” That is as far as I can go.
Jurisprudential matters help me organize relationship between my human qualities (spirit) and my physical body. Example: I know I like certain food and if I eat too much, it will be harmful for me. How can I have the right relationship with the food? The answer to this feeling is within me. That is, when I am hungry, I eat food. When I am not hungry, I refrain from eating food. It’s so simple. Let’s take another example: I am hungry and I am out of food. My roommate has food in the fridge. Can I eat food that belongs to someone else? The answer to the feeling that I should not take food which belongs to someone else is within me.
Therefore, I do not learn how to manage my practical life under certain principles but on the contrary, I just get to know what befits my nature.
How am I going to use my relationship with the material side of the universe, so that it fits my relationship with the purpose of my existence? Before answering any questions including the above question, we need to answer these questions:
- Why is there a need for the Prophets to be employed?
- Why should I believe in the Prophets?
- Do I really need Prophets?
- Is it true that the Creator sends Prophets?
Jurisprudential matters come into my life only with the satisfaction of the belief in the necessity of Prophethood. Otherwise, How would I realize the extent of the human potential? How should I manage my life so that I am in control by having realization of the existence of my being rather than following my own petty desires? For example I may overindulge in something such as excessive eating and harm myself; I need to have realization of my being and what I am interacting with. Similarly, some people may engage in trade, but are indecisive with choosing let’s say clients as they do not know which one will be good. While we are dealing with these practical matters in our lives, there is a relationship taking place between my body and matter. What is the purpose of it? To accomplish a mission. What is it? To get to know the purpose of my existence: Why do I think my body and my desires exist? Always start with questioning the purpose of existence when left in a dilemma.
Let us assume that there is no religious message (Prophets), how would we live? Pagans had tribal rules according to what benefitted them. Similarly, in this century, tribalism functions as cultural norms or nationalism i.e. interest of a community or a country. What about non-nationalist people (non-tribal), how should I organize life around that? That is why every nation has a certain set of rules that its habitants live by. Similarly, we all need guidance but this guidance cannot be merely to benefit my current life only which passes with the blink of an eye. If I am left alone with no guidance from my Creator, I may think that I will live until I die (so meaningless). Unless, I reflect on my feelings which go beyond death will I come to realize that there must be another type of creation. When I question death, it occurs to me to ask a very fundamental existential question: Is there another type of creation?
Since I don’t know how to introduce my human feelings to my Creator, Prophets are sent to teach me how to get acquainted with the Source of my existence through my feelings. Otherwise, I may think that this is my feeling and it’s not real. Additionally, I may think that I will die and rot in the grave. Would anyone try to get to know their Creator or question the Source of their existence otherwise? Unless I do not hear it, I would not have that option. Prophets are extra guidance for me on how to use my humanity. When you hear the message of the Source of your existence through a verbal speech (Prophets), it provides an option for you to consider. Otherwise one cannot find this truth (reality) on their own. If I there was no guidance, I would not know about existence beyond this universe.
With proper guidance, I learn not to love this universe for the sake of this universe only. I love this universe because through it, I get to know about the reality (truth) i.e. another type of creation exists. In other words, this universe is not the reality because reality cannot be found here.
Analogy: Consider a piece of art. The piece of art itself cannot be reality, but the Artist who is the source of art is the reality.
This universe is a piece of art and it must have an Owner and this Owner is the reality and It has sent me here on training to get to know It better.
Secular civilization only sees human satisfaction for its own sake, not to get to know the Creator through all the interactions. For example: Pagans took care of the orphans and the poor people. For what? For their personal satisfaction confined to this universe only. Under Prophetic guidance, which is inspired by the Creator, my every action is to be taken to get to know who my Creator is, so I will ensure/secure my existence in this world.
Why am I here? I am here in order to get to know my Creator, the source of my existence. This news come from guidance, which must be in the form of a verbal speech by a teacher, someone must present this guidance to me within my capacity. This person must be employed by the One who created you and I. If I am left without this guidance, I cannot utilize my infinite human qualities for their real purpose. In this case, my every interaction will be to gain happiness and avoid unhappiness.
Secular civilizations are primitive. Although they study various aspects of the human spirit for the sake (temporary benefit) of the human spirit only, they do not get to know the Creator of the human spirit because they do not feel the need. They only interact with the universe for temporary benefits i.e. whatever makes them happy or make them avoid unhappiness. Example: Respect your neighbors because when you are in good terms with the neighbors, you feel comfy and that makes you happy. With such attitude, I will be happy until I die. Foundations of secular civilizations are based on the notion that my existence continues only until death. Ask: Do I really exist in this world just to satisfy myself until I die? Is it really worth living? Prophetic message was initially addressed to Pagans. Societal values of the prevalent time are nothing more than Pagan principles. That is, if you remove Prophetic teachings from the Pagan society, what remains? Following personal whims and desires and enjoying life until I die. Example: If you are in an authoritative role, you want more power.
One has to be brave enough to ask the following essential question:
- Why should I bother to organize my life according to the will and conditions of my Creator?
Let’s say someone comes to you and says that he is employed by God and tells you that you have to behave in a certain way. You ask: Why? Is what you say really true? You can only follow this person when you truly understand what he says and it conforms to your human self. Similarly, you can follow the Prophet only when you understand your position before the Creator. It is as if while searching for guidance, you stumble across a role model. By definition, a role model is someone that you admire and you want to be like if you could: “I want to be like someone who fulfills the purpose of his existence at the best level”. This someone (Prophet) has perfectly developed his human qualities and accomplished the purpose of his existence. Do I want a role model like this? Yes, that is human, that is what I need. I cannot yet be at their level but we can learn from them. The more we learn the more we confirm what we learn.
Why do we cut off our relationship with the Source of our existence? Why do we see It as one that interferes unexpectedly (as far as I am concerned) into my life? The main problem is on how I use my freewill. According to what criteria am I going to use my freewill? Is it for temporary benefit just like the Pagans/nationalists? I need to decipher that for myself. Do I need a guide/teacher or not? It’s human to get a teacher. If I want to become a mechanic, I look for a teacher and direct my freewill under the guidance of this person. I can never imitate the teacher because what I learn is for my own self/understanding. I am created with the ability to make gradual progress. While I am making progress, don’t I need someone who knows better than me?
I learn from being taught from a teacher and afterwards in my practical life I need to confirm it. If I cannot confirm it, I cannot follow the teacher because his teachings do not make sense. I should be confident in myself under the guidance of the teacher. Ultimately, I have to understand and be convinced that I am receiving guidance from my Creator. If there was no appointed guidance from the Creator of the universe, we will be left to ourselves communicating with the universe with no guidance.
Learning to understand is different from memorizing and imitating. In every case ultimately, I will have to be convinced within myself otherwise I cannot make progress. I have to understand; that is why when we receive guidance from the Creator we do not imitate the guidance. By memorizing I cannot become a physicist. Learning to be convinced within myself is necessary to make progress in my humanity: I have to establish this.
Belief in Muhammad (pbuh) must be my conclusion not my starting point. That is, I confirm that the teachings I received from Muhammad matches what is already within me. I accept the teachings and then I confirm the teacher as being employed by God.
Since imitation does not require investigation, the Quran keeps reminding us to use our reason, consult our humanity: “why don’t you reason?” or “look into the matter seriously”. Everything must be read to be confirmed. Before interpreting hadiths, I have to know how to analyze verses within the whole context of the teachings of the Quran (taking into consideration the historical context where Muhammad practiced universal principles).
Without a teacher, learning and training, I cannot practice my belief in God in my life:
Without Prophetic mission, we cannot talk about religion. What is religion? It is guidance on how to utilize my qualities and this universe in the best form that fits my true nature so I may fulfill the purpose of my existence.
I need to have this concept that there must be a teacher employed by my Creator in order to teach me how to use my humanity. Even if I do not know who the teacher is, this concept must exist in my mind. There must be someone to teach me on how to use my humanity, how to improve it and make the best out of my relationship with the universe. Since I and the universe are interconnected, what am I going to do with this relationship?
Without the Prophetic mission, we cannot talk about the Creator. I do not have any communication with the Creator other than what I perceive the Creator to be. We learn about the Creator from the Prophet, i.e. the concept of Creator is introduced by the Prophet (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him). Otherwise we live in a wonderful world without knowing why we are here. When the Prophet tells me that: you are created, you have a Creator, there must be a purpose in your existence and you have feelings which go beyond this universe i.e. beyond the limit of time, I then become aware that these feelings/ expectations do not fit into the life of this world but go beyond.
Jurisprudential Matters are coming into the Life of Human Beings (continuation from 05/11/16)
12. Only then, they can RESHAPE THEIR LIFE STYLE according to the principles of the practical guidance of the Scripture. Among them:
A. Every creature in the universe is a message bearer to conscious human beings: Belief in Angels.
- Everything brings news to me. Without airwaves, I cannot hear. Without written text, I cannot get meaning.
B. Creator God is also a SPEAKING God: Belief in the Books.
- If the Creator of this universe does not guide me in a way that I understand then the universe and my life does not make sense. There is no imperfection in this universe.
C. Creator employs MESSENGERS as practical instructors for human beings: Belief in the Prophets (Role Models).
- Babies are grown under the guidance of parents. We all need a guide to teach us so that we may learn. Otherwise we remain ignorant. Who and what shapes my life?
D. Existence in this universe is nothing more than a training place. Existence will continue because the Existence Giver is Absolute. But the new existence will be appropriate to human expectations as they are given by the Creator here in this world: Belief in the Hereafter.
- I am a student being trained here. What am I going to do after I die/graduate from this school of training, the universe? Real graduation is getting out of the school of the universe i.e. death. What I learn here will be utilized after death. Otherwise, what is the point of learning about the Source of my existence here if I am not going to utilize it after death? Why do you get the degree if it is not to start another life with the degree? Why am I given existence in this universe? Without belief in the existence of the hereafter, life in this universe does not make sense. The Creator is Omnipresent is a conclusion that I need to come up with my experience in this universe.
E. The universe and everything in it is the result of the Will of the Creator, which is Divine ORDINANCE. The entire ORDER of the universe is the result of this Divine Will. Human free will also is the choice of the Divine Will, set free to choose freely within a certain limitation.
- Without belief in Divine Determining, I cannot locate myself in this universe.
Finally, ASK YOURSELF: Who is my teacher and how am I am educating myself under his guidance?