Job’s Supplication – Part 7

FOURTH POINT: “The power of patience and endurance given to man by Almighty God is adequate to every misfortune, unless squandered on baseless fears. But through the predominance of delusion, man’s neglect and his imagining this transient life to be eternal, he squanders his power of endurance on the past and the future. His endurance is not equal to the misfortunes of the present, and he begins to complain. It is as if — God forbid! — he were complaining of God Almighty to men. In a most unjustified and even lunatic fashion, he complains and demonstrates his lack of patience.”

We have the capacity to be patient and to deal with seemingly tough events in our lives. We can waste some of that capacity on worrying about the past and future. Why do we fall into the trap of scattering our given patience into the past and the future rather than concentrating on the present moment?

Because we imagine this transient life to be Eternal.

If you were conscious that life is not Eternal and that every moment you are losing a moment, then you would concentrate more on the “present”. We have to remember that the act of creation is continuous and permanent while creation (in and of itself) is continuous but transient. We are experiencing creation momentarily. This should make me understand that every moment is transient and I have to focus on the moment that I am created. I am what I am experiencing right now, past has been created and the future has not been created yet. Example: Jane experiences pain and the doctor tells her that it will last another month. If she is aware that the nature of this world is transient and her duty is just to concentrate on the moment she is experiencing pain, then she is not wasting or squandering her capacity aimlessly.

My duty is to focus on the moment I am experiencing now (i.e. what is created for me now) and knowing that it is transient and shall pass.

Being aware that every moment is created injects a sense of purpose to my interaction with the universe. When you realize that everything happening is created, you know that it has a Creator. Through the process of questioning I understand that there is a purpose behind it which leaves less room for randomness. Even if you are suffering from pain, you have experienced with enough evidence in your life to prove yourself that there is a Creator. Thus you will keep exercising your awareness of this Creator to search for the Creator in every event to be created.

For us, the past, present and future is linear i.e. on the horizontal level. That is how we experience life in this creation. As far as the act of creation is concerned, it is not coming from this universe but from the Source of this universe. I need to see that connection which is vertical, pointing to the Source of existence. It means we can transform one moment of creation to realize the Absolute Creator. I am here to connect myself vertically at every moment. Taking this methodology in mind, we can never fall into the trap of cause & effect relationship. Example: If I do this, I will be punished in the Eternal life (hereafter). Is Eternal life in the future? I cannot make sure of anything in the future as I am living in the present moment. Eternal life is attached to my existence right now. When I realize that my Source is the Eternal Absolute One (reward), I connect myself to It and try to solve all my problems in connection with the Eternal Source.

Through the “reward”, one realizes Paradise. That is, through the connection with an Absolute Source, vertical connection, you find Paradise. Paradise is only possible in feeling the presence of the Absolute Being. Consciously seeking reward through pain and pleasure enhances the Paradise experience. In this type of existence, I get Paradise by attributing my being to the Absolute Source. I need to experience Paradise within my conditions right now by connecting myself to the Absolute Being.

As my conditions in this physical universe change, I get multiple opportunities to experience paradise under all different conditions. The Absolute Source is training me here to make me realize its presence. Use creation to experience the manifestation of the presence of the Absolute Being. Regardless of whether you experience a pleasurable moment or not, the experience ultimately refers to the Absolute Source. Pleasure/painful moment is all for one purpose, to get to know who I am and consequently who my Owner is. If I realize I own nothing, ultimately I understand who my Owner is. We learn better with pain because pleasure does not disturb us much and we mostly tend to forget about the Source. Pain makes me realize that health exists and that there is a Source of health. If I never get sick there is no way that I would know that health exists.

Everything is created to make me understand the qualities of the Creator. We do not want something harmful but when it is given, it is an opportunity to reach the conclusion of the existence of an Absolute Eternal Source. (There must be a Source). With following this methodology, one can solve all problems by changing their perception of the world. It is not by changing anything externally to myself but just my worldview, the way I perceive the universe. As a result, there will be no boredom, stress or loneliness. It is not easy but it is not impossible either. We should try!

We are under the heavy influence of secular worldview and almost secularized religious view. There is God but I am living mostly a secular life. We think that belief in God and following a tradition will change my life. It does not unless I become aware of my realitybelief system; otherwise the concept of God remains as some external concept out there.

Quran’s struggle has nothing to do with instilling the concept of God within us, even the enemies of the teachings of the Prophet believed in God. The Quran’s main struggle is to establish the belief system. How to apply the concept of God to my life? Without the establishment of the fundamental teachings of belief pertinent to my being, I can never experience the presence of God in my being right now.

I am directly connected to my Creator right now and I am purposefully made and everything is arranged wisely for me.

Everything is related to our understanding of creation, not our understanding of God (its essence). There is no denying that the universe is created. We need to work hard to confirm our reality. I have to be serious as far as my understanding of reality is concerned.

I can only understand the concept of God as much as I understand my reality.

Try to understand the qualities of God and see its manifestation around in the horizon (afaaq). I can never comprehend the qualities (Attributes, Names) of God in their entirety because I can never comprehend horizon in its entirety. Firstly, I have to think of the reality of my own existence and conclude who I am, what my existence is, and accordingly the Source of my existence, its existence. The more I realize that every single thing is given to me and needs an Absolute Creator to bring it into existence, the better concept of God I develop.

Knowledge cannot be equated to belief.
What we learn from the culture, society or our parents is not belief.

Belief studies have been lost throughout centuries because people stopped standing behind what they deem as truth. Part of it has to do with avoiding conflicts and not encouraging people to use their reasoning. Prior to that, people struggled to understand the definition of one word, the Word of God (kalamullah). They were bold in coming up with their understanding. We also should not be afraid of making mistakes because that is the only way we can understand the truth.

Anyone who stands behind the truth is truthful, that is how justice should be understood.

While searching for the truth, I may come up with a mistaken idea which is ok. I thought it was the right idea and I defended “the right idea” as far as I am concerned. I have no right to blame the other person for his idea. We may inadvertently pass judgments about people’s attitude. I have no right to blame anyone for their mistakes. I have to search for the truth, understand it and stand behind it. If I find someone else’s reasoning better, then I take it. In principle, no one holds the absolute truth. Even the Prophets claimed that they know nothing unless God teaches them.

وَكَذَلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِّنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا كُنتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتَابُ وَلَا الْإِيمَانُ

“And thus We have revealed to you an inspiration of Our command. You did not know what is the Book or [what is] faith…” Shura (42): 52

تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاء الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَا إِلَيْكَ مَا كُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَا أَنتَ وَلاَ قَوْمُكَ مِن قَبْلِ هَـذَا

“This is of the news of the unseen which We reveal unto you (O Muhammad SAW), neither you nor your people knew them before this…” Hud (11): 49

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes to the point that it stops you from searching for the truth.
Just as a rookie mechanic learns to utilize the tools through mistakes, similarly, in order to develop myself, I have to be open to making mistakes.
If we are given the ability to reason, we ought to use it. No excuses about not trusting the mind and abandoning it totally because of the fear of making a mistake.
No one can attain perfection without reasoning and making mistakes.

I am searching for the truth and through my reasoning I realized that the way I reasoned in the past did not help me in my quest for finding the truth. It is WRONG to reason as such because it is impossible to have a life without making mistakes. With reasoning as such, you may inadvertently blame the Creator by saying that “it is my Creator’s mistake to make me with the capacity to make mistakes”. How can you learn without making mistakes? You have to make mistakes in order to develop. Would a College student say that primary school education did not help him? No.

Through the mistakes, I improve myself that is how I get promoted to the next grade level in the school of this universe.

How can I help someone who is going through the same mistake I went through? Encourage them to study themselves, benefit from the teachers but let them know to make their own conclusion because belief is ultimately one’s own conclusion.

(Continuation)- “As far as days yet to come are concerned, since they have not yet come, to think now of the illness or misfortune to be borne during them and display impatience, is also foolishness. To say to oneself “Tomorrow or the day after I will be hungry and thirsty” and constantly to drink water and eat bread today, is pure madness. Similarly, to think of misfortunes and sicknesses yet in the future but now non-existent, to suffer them already, to show impatience and to oppress oneself without any compulsion, is such stupidity that it no longer deserves pity and compassion. In short, just as gratitude increases divine bounty, so too complaint increases misfortune, and removes all occasion for compassion.”

How does gratitude increase divine bounty?

Realizing that whatever you are experiencing is not a product of yourself, it is given by the Source which is Absolute. Gratitude necessitates that your understanding of the bounty is not from you. Hence, you are grateful to the Source that provides it to you. You say: “Who is giving it to me?”

Gratitude requires me to search for the Source of the bounty. As a result, I understand that the Source is Absolute. When I understand that the Source is Absolute, I attribute the bounty to this Absolute Source, and it becomes a bounty granted to me by the Absolute. I never lose my hope from the Absolute. That is the blessing of belief in the Absolute Creator while in this world.

When I realize the Source, I am grateful to the Source. It is as if I am getting one drop of water from the stream of the ocean. When I realize the stream, I feel relaxed. The stream is coming from the ocean and when I find the ocean, I do not worry about anything.

Analogy: Rafiki gives $5 each to Simba and Nala. Nala whines that this is not enough to sustain her throughout the day. Rafiki takes pity on her not because she needs more money but because she is not being grateful. Simba, on the other hand gets super excited and thanks Rafiki for the money. As a result, Rafiki gives an additional $5 to Simba for he clearly understands the significance of what is given.

Similarly, the Source of my existence treats me accordingly. That is, if I am grateful for a small amount of anything, this attitude is rewarded within itself. Gratitude increases bounties tenfold. Complaint, on the other hand, as pointed by the author increases misfortune.

Through gratitude, you find the Source.
Through complaint, you do not know who the Source is and, ultimately, you always feel neglected.

Gratitude is a positive attitude. Within the Prophetic narrations, we see the Prophet always encouraging people to look at the positive side of creation. Example: If someone is ill, he would mention about how another person got cured after the illness. In other words, know that the One who gives illness is the One who provides health. Thus, look for the Source of existence of health or the positive side of creation.

Question: Would it be in conflict with my being if I ask for more of a certain bounty?

To want more of good is human. That is why we feel the need for Eternal Happiness. I always want more and more of bounties. That is how I understand that Eternal Happiness is promised to me through my feelings. If I get a drop from the ocean and I want more of it, what should I do? I have to go to the ocean because I understand that it can give me more drops. Gratitude ties you to the ocean. Stop concentrating on the drop itself; look for its source, the ocean. Otherwise you will have no pleasure in life. That is why, belief in God, realizing the Source to be Eternal is the only way of relaxation in your life. Try to be thankful because you found the Source that is what matters at the end!

Misfortunes are created to make us realize that all the opposites of misfortunes are created by the same Source. Illness is created to make us realize that health exists, which is also created by the Creator of the illness. Creation of illness is not the end, but a reminder that health exists and it is created by the same Creator. Ask for health from the Creator of health.

Realization of Divine Bounty needs conscious awareness:

Where is the bounty coming from?
Who is giving it to me?
When you understand that it is the Source that takes care of the needy one, you ask It to care of your needs.