Ethical Lessons from the Quran, part 9

Ethical Lessons from the Quran, part 9

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ

“Certainly, We have honored the children of Adam, …” (Isra, 17:70)

When we observe the universe, the birds seem happier than us.  Even the domestic pets are well taken care of.  Under the light of this verse, what is the key point that lets us know that we are honored by our Creator?  In other words, we are created with a human potential, what is this human potential within us that makes us feel that we are honored?  Do I really feel honored in my existence?  

For example, if someone insults us verbally, do we feel bad?  Yes, because we feel that our importance has been neglected and the insult is something that we cannot digest.  Why do we feel that we are important?  We feel our importance because we are conscious of our existence and conscious of the many questions and needs that we have. Also, we are conscious that these expectations must be satisfied.  We have a huge capacity that we can question, why the universe exists, and what type of qualities can we deduce from the existence of the universe?  We are qualified to do so by choosing from amongst the infinite options available to us in this vast universe.  Let us not reduce ourselves to bodily existence only, to the point of only being content with satisfying the needs of our body.

How about our infinite feelings with infinite qualities?  Do we feel that we are well equipped to find ways to satisfy these infinite feelings?  More than 1400 years ago, what we hear from the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), is that the Quran educated people in such a way that they could define themselves as equal to the universe.  Each person could feel their value because “I have been given such potentials which allow me to communicate with the whole universe from every part and every aspect”.  We can understand this from the various disciplines available in college that we could have studied.  Potentially, we can grasp all the disciplines, but we must choose one or two of them as a major in College.  Practically, we must understand that our human value is immense and priceless that we cannot put a number to it.  That is why we must respect our honor, which is what we experience in ourselves, and with the help of the Creator’s message in the Quran, we understand that the whole universe is set for us to benefit from.  Only this Creator of the universe who is satisfying my daily needs can satisfy my infinite feelings as well when I acknowledge Him. 

How can my infinite feelings be satisfied?

• When I recognize the Source of existence of everything through using my potential, connect all my qualities to the Source of our existence, I will see that I am at the center of the universe.  As far as you are concerned, you will recognize that you are at the center of the universe as well.  As a result, we will not have any conflicts within ourselves, that is how we can benefit from the existence of the universe i.e. your universe is freely yours in its entirety and my universe is freely mine; it is not divided between us. Because I encompass all of the universe with no restriction, it proves that my capacity must be infinite.

This realization puts me in a position that I am at the center of the universe.  Do you see that the universe is given to your service?  Do you feel it and appreciate it?  How do you appreciate this value of human honor?

The One who creates me honored me by presenting the universe to me: “here it is, the universe is for you”.  We are honored with the universe.  For example, if someone presents you flowers and chocolates, you feel honored and appreciate it, and you say thank you to the person.  How about the One who is presenting the whole universe to you, how are you going to thank Him?  We must acknowledge Him by prostrating and praising Him.  We must use all our potential.  Just like when a person stands up in prayer, bows down, and puts his head down touching the ground, it seems that he is respecting Someone and honoring this Someone.  This highly honored Someone is being honored by that person putting their head down before nobody and nothing of this world, but only the One who created the world.  How would you explain the phenomenon of putting the head down?  Let us say that a person understands that they are honored by being presented to the whole universe, and now they are putting their head on the ground. How would you explain this?  This person is prostrating and humbling himself to the level of zero before Something.  Who is there?  Is there anything of this universe that we can prostrate before to the level of zero?  Nothing in this universe can attain my honored level as a human being for me to declare my being to be zero before it.  Hence, I cannot prostrate to anything of this universe (lailaha).  So, what am I doing then while I am praying?  We should be able to see that I am declaring my utmost dependency to the Source of my existence (illallah) only.  Prayer is the pillar of one’s reality, and the pinnacle of prayer is prostration i.e. sajdaa.  The more I lower myself, the higher my value becomes.  In this way I feel that I am honored not to be destined to worship anything including the whole universe. 

• We must understand that the real human honor is to recognize that I need to be created.  This acknowledgement must be expressed in a converse way.  That is, rather than standing up before something of this universe and appreciating something of this universe, from our own existence, we are gaining value by saying that I disdain to thank any part of this universe, for everything is at my service; they serve me.  So, how can I respond back for this immeasurable grace of the various opportunities presented to me in the universe?  By humbling myself saying that I do not deserve any of it, the One who gave me these opportunities is the One to be graced and praised.

We must realize that our spirit is worshiping and prostrating before the One who gave me the spirit from His own.  The most honorable side of us is that our spirit is given to us from our Creator’s spirit as tools to know Him.  This is amazing and priceless!  The Quran mentions, وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي  “I breathe from my own spirit to the children of Adam.”(Hijr, 15:29). 

Let us make a comparison of this verse with what this civilization offers us?  Which kind of honor does this civilization offer us?  Material benefits such as degrees, salaries, house and cars, which essentially benefit our body only.  That is why the modern man has lost his spirit and has turned himself into a bodily matter only, thus becoming a body worshiper.  Unfortunately, modern man has lost the senses of his spirit.  Even when philosophy studies existence, it focuses on the matter side of existence, and thus reduces man to an outcome of the unconscious material body only.  That is why the modern man has been bound to try to silence the needs of the spirit with substance abuse or becoming workaholic and food and drink worshipers.  

One option is that we are honored by the Creator of the universe where he presents us the universe at our service, the other option is that our value is based only on our appearance, body health and clothes we wear.  But we are free to choose either of these two options.

1. Do we think that the freedom of choice is part of human dignity?

If we did not have the freedom to choose, we would not recognize anything and become robotic.  That is why we must be careful with how we are deciding with our free will?  Which option am I choosing with my free will?  Either towards prostrating before the Creator or seeing that my real value is my body only.  No one claims either of the two options  only, that I am the perfect one or that I have no honor at all, for perfect denial and belief are not possible practically.  At least I must pay attention to the direction that I am taking while I am using my human free will?  I must always pay attention to the direction, then I will understand that the usage of the human free will is the only responsible side of human freedom.  I should not be fixated on what I am doing at a certain level, rather I must be paying attention to why am I choosing a certain way?  Again, my responsibility lies in my human free will, and I must pay attention as to why am I doing something?  

For example, my free will cannot be reduced to decide what I am going to eat for dinner. Rather, my free will extends to choices related to my reality. Why am I choosing a certain way of understanding my reality? Practically in our daily life, we cannot keep this consciousness awake all the time.  Therefore, from time to time, I should remind myself, what am I doing in this world, and why am I doing this?  

• We cannot reduce the responsibility of our free will by taking for granted that I am a Muslim, I prayed my obligatory prayers. Rather, after doing all my religious duties, I must communicate with the Source of my existence, and I must be awake with what am I communicating with?  If I am watching a video, then why am I doing that?  If I am on social media and not really learning anything useful for my life in this world or the next creation, then why am I wasting time there?  I am an honored person by my Creator, can I waste my feelings by following an option which keeps me busy for nothing and gives me no value and benefit?  We must be watchful with what we are doing when we do something!

Let’s say that Maria is the CEO of a company.  When she is at home, she behaves in a certain way with her family.  When she is in the office, does she behave the same way with her employees?  No.  Her positioning condition changes based on her environment.  However, we must be aware that we are the CEO of the universe, Caliphs (vicegerents, representatives of the mission of our universe) employed by the Creator of the universe, who says that “I gave you the capacity to utilize this universe, communicate with and benefit from it in order to fulfill their purpose of existence”.  We are always in the office of the universe, and our positioning condition before our Creator does not change, unlike Maria in the example above.  This consciousness is brilliant, but alas, we may not have it most of the time.  I am employed in this universe and my boss is watching me, the One who employed me is watching me: “I gave this universe to you”.  The One who employed you as the CEO of this universe is seeing whether you are wasting your human side or managing it in the way that it is supposed to be managed.  We must feel this, that the One who created me, honored me and employed me in this office of the universe as a Caliph/CEO.  Hence, I must appreciate what is given to me and accordingly give a report to my boss/the Owner of the universe.  I must give a report to my Owner with everything that I have done.  That is why, I must watch out with what I am doing with my life, spending my time, and how am I using my human capacities.  It is not that simple!  

• Every action that I do, I am responsible for it before my Owner.  The universe is entrusted to me, this capacity brings us a huge responsibility.  

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَٰخِعٞ نَّفۡسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِمۡ إِن لَّمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا

“But [Prophet] are you going to worry and torment yourself to death with grief over them if they are not willing to believe in this message?” Kahf, 18:6

1. Why is the prophet warned here as if he is compelling people to become believers?

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was trying hard to convey the message to the people hoping that they will get guidance from it.  Some people accepted and some rejected.  The Prophet did not force anyone.  Why do you think that the Prophet was tormenting himself for people to believe?

• If you see some people are harming themselves, from your own conscience, don’t you feel that they should not do it because it is harmful. The prophet’s concern was that people should not waste themselves, rather appreciate their honor and worship their Lord.  

Since everyone worships something, if it is not God, then it is transient things, mostly dealing with bodily concerns.  Some worship their fame and look to satisfy their ego, rather than realizing that they are given such presents by their Owner.  These ego gratifiers should respond back to the Owner who gave it to them, in a worshipful way, honoring, appreciating and thanking their Lord.  Please remember that while acknowledging your Creator, you are not doing any sort of job, rather you are only presenting your sincere gratefulness in the form of physical and verbal worship.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was so much concerned that people are wasting their qualities, misusing their free will by directing themselves to anything of this universe, as if serving the universe that actually serves us.  In other words, the universe is given to me to serve me, but the people who do not accept the Owner of the universe as the One employing the universe to serve them, they serve the universe, i.e. the universe and their body.  What the Quran teaches us is that the body must serve my spirit.  I must turn all my human qualities towards the One who employs the servants (the universe) for us, rather than towards serving my body (my servant).  This is a real illustration of the secular civilizations.  Again, the Quran is here to help us steer our free will in the right direction.  If the prophet was tormenting himself to death about this grief, then, I should ask myself whether I am concerned about people who are wasting themselves including myself?  Am I trying to find ways to be useful to people to convey the message to them?

• The conveying of the message of God is a serious matter and we should all take it to heart to be Caliph, vicegerent, representatives of the mission of this universe (as per the CEO example given above).

We must speak to people as God speaks to me in a friendly, wise way.  If you want to convey the message of God to others, see how the Quran speaks to you?  

How does the Quran speak to me?  The Quran speaks to me by coming down to my level at my capacity.  I must use it as a method of conveying the message i.e. I must speak to people at their level to present and satisfy what they are missing and what their concerns are.  Nowadays, what are the main concerns of the people?  The materialist life makes people concerned with money trying to make their life pleasurable in terms of satisfying temporary body life. In the end, it is all meaningless if the pleasure does not satisfy the needs of their spirit, which yearns for eternal satisfaction. We must convey to people that such concerns are not satisfactory, they must listen to themselves and think about: “how can I really satisfy myself?”  We must speak to the people according to what they need nowadays.  Do you think that not knowing how to pray is the problem of the people for example?  What is the real problem that people are facing?  The most pressing one is why should they do anything?  Alas, people have forgotten about their spirit, and they do not know that they are precious beings.  We must help them by asking them to think about themselves outside the bodily context: 

• You are not a body only.  Think about your spirit, how are you going to use it?  

• Why do you have a spirit with immense capacity?  

Can you feel satisfaction until you die here?  Let us say that you are very comfortable in your living, with the best accommodation, and enormous wealth to entertain you and your family for the next 100 years. How much can you benefit from such comfort?  Can you eat more than three meals a day?  If you eat more, then you will harm yourself.  Bodily needs are temporary, but we need permanent satisfaction, and people forget about it.  That is why the prophet was torturing himself to remind people that they are very precious beings.  At least we must share the same sentiments as the Prophet (pbuh) to concern about the people.  HOWEVER, BEFORE HELPING OTHERS, I MUST FIRST GET TO KNOW MYSELF.

We must study and benefit from the Quran as much as possible so that we can share the message of God with people and according to their interest area.  There is no need to teach people how to pray because there are so many video tutorials on that, however, we need to teach people why they should engage in praying, worshiping God, acknowledging and remembering Him?  How should they really satisfy themselves in their existence?  What is the meaning of death?  Why are we created in a way where we are getting old and continuously aging?  Can we say that my being is accidental?!  Unfortunately, people who deny their spirit reduce their existence to accidental and random beings.

While the prophet (pbuh) was trying hard to convey the message, another lesson that we must take is not to become aggressive and arrogant with people, including our own family.  We should convey the message with mercy in a friendly, kind way.

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌۭ لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ إِلَّا مَن تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ٱلْأَكْبَرَ إِنَّ إِلَيْنَآ إِيَابَهُمْ ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُم

88:21-26 So, remind them, for your duty is only to remind.  You cannot compel them [to believe].  Whoever as for him who turns away, persisting in disbelief, God will inflict the greatest suffering upon them.  It is to Us they will return, and then it is for Us to call them to account.”

Our duty is only to remind people of their reality existing within this universe and their responsibility before their Creator, nothing more than that.  Also, the reminder should not be done in an imposing and bossy manner.  We cannot compel anyone to believe because the message is only calling people to take the message as a reminder.  If someone insists on denying the reality and concerns themselves with only their bodily needs, then God says to leave such people to Him alone.  There are other verses in the Quran, for example, (Muzzammil, 73:11) وَذَرْنِى وَٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ, where God mentions to leave those deniers to Him only.  The reason is that wherever we came from, we will return there.  The point here is to warn us that we must know our limits while we are communicating with other people to convey the message.  I am only responsible to convey the message to people according to the needs of their level of capacity. When I am conveying the message, I must come down to the level of the people and see what their needs are and accordingly speak to them, by answering their needs.  I must perceive what their needs are first before answering their needs.  It is important to pay attention to people’s needs.  Secondly, I must offer answers to their needs kindly and respectfully because everyone is honored in their creation. Human honor is everyone’s birthright.  

As far as the teachings of the Quran goes, everything goes back to their Origin.  That is, the material of the body is used from the Earth, and when I die, it goes back to the Earth.  What about my spirit?  The One who created the universe, created it in such a way that He gave me the capacity to communicate with the rest of the universe, and it is the One that says that I authorize you to be the vicegerent, Caliph/CEO of this universe, and you must report back to Me.  Hence, every remembrance of God and prayer is responding back to Him, in our expressing, “That is Your gift to me, O Lord!”

We must teach people according to their capacity to understand what their Source of existence is. That is why the Quran says that their return will be to Me. Thus, we should not be misled that our body goes to Earth, and we are done.  Rather, our spirit goes back to its Origin.  What is the Origin of the spirit?  The Creator of the universe, God, who qualified me, educated me potentially by leaving the company of the universe at my service and seeing how I manage it.  We are here under a huge responsibility, that is why the prophet was tormenting himself to fulfill his mission of Caliph to spread the message so that people will acknowledge their Creator and feel satisfied and honored in their existence.

Practically, as we see it, the dead body goes back to Earth, and what the Quran teaches us is that the spirit goes back to its Origin, the Creator.  The body is not the representative of this universe as it only communicates within the universe, but my spirit goes to infinity and wonders about: “Who arranges the beautiful sky?  Who set up the galaxies?  What is going on inside the living cells?  How does the atomic world function?  As a result of these wonders, some people have come up with theories that galaxies are dying, for example, the “black hole” theory.  Look at our human capacity where from one end, we are concerned with the vastness of the universe, and trying to get to the end, which is impossible, and from another end, we are going deep into the structure of the particle, which is endless as well.  Both sides of human concerns are endless.  That is what human capacity is, and therefore, we need the message of God to help us get out of this endless abyss.  The black hole is the graveyard of the universe and the cemeteries are the graveyard of the human body. Human spirit is not made of matter and does not go to the grave. As a human being I am not body, I am my spirit which is conscious of its own existence. That is, we must be careful that firstly, I am going back to my Creator, I am not dying but going back to my Creator.  

• Human beings do not die.  The body dies.  

• Human beings go back to the Creator.

Let us understand this body and spirit case with an analogy.  You are a tenant living in a house.  When the house gets dysfunctional, with holes in the roof and cracked walls for example, you go get another house.  Similarly, my body is the house of my spirit and when the body starts deteriorating with old age such as malfunctioning eyes, hearing, knees…for example,  or for any reason it does not function anymore, then I know that it is time to get out of this old, rented body.  However, my spirit never gets old.  We may think that when we get old, the spirit also gets old.  Never!  The spirit says that I do not want an old body, rather I want a young body.  That is why some people say that although I am 65 years old for example, my spirit feels 25 years old.  That is a correct understanding, but what it means that the spirit never gets old?  As you grow older, you would like to be as young as you can get.  What is this contradictory situation?  The spirit is created in need of a body but when the body does not function anymore its Creator must give it another body, otherwise it would contradict the purpose of my existence..  

I am the Caliph, CEO of the universe, and I must take care of my universe, by respecting that everyone has their own universe.  Again, we do not die, the body dies.  This does not mean that we should kill ourselves, rather we should manage with our free will to connect with its Origin.  The universe is the house, and my spirit communicates with the universe through my body.  When the body dies and loses its life, the spirit is ever present.  A 19th century Quran commentator made the distinction that our existence has three layers as separate entities:

1. material side of my body.
2. life
3. spirit

Now, Materialist Scientists reduce existence to body and life.  They mean that when the body loses its life, that is death, and you are done, because they reject the existence of the spirit.  First, we must know that life itself does not have feelings, but the spirit feels it.  Life itself has no consciousness but spirit does.  That is why we are honored in our spirit and not in the life of our body.  We must separate the three entities i.e. body, life and spirit to appreciate our existence.  When someone dies, the body loses its life and does not function, the spirit goes out and needs another body according to its capacity.  We get the news that our spirit goes back to its Origin, the One who created the capacity of the spirit in me.  It completes the circle now, that is why, we must respect our spirit and remind people that they are not body only.  Unfortunately, this civilization has turned everything to bodily satisfaction, and the human beings have lost their dignity by reducing their dignity to body appearance and bodily satisfaction only.