Reading the Quran Here and Now: Chapter Muddaththir – Part 7

Recap: These verses help people realize why they deny and the consequences for such denial. People who deny cannot come up with counter argument supporting their denial.

74:26 “I shall cause him to endure the hell-fire.”

If I am not given the opportunity to experience what is wrong right now, then how else can I be aware of what I am doing is right or wrong?  Otherwise the message will be irrelevant to me. The message is not only to confirm/reject our reality now but also for the future, something which we should be able to conclude through the signs displayed in the universe. That is, I have seen the signs of the message that says that I shall endure hell-fire if I am not in compliance with my human reality. Example: If I go against the order in creation (for example, if I hurt someone, I feel bad), then I feel at unease within myself.

• The concept of hell-fire needs to be applied to our reality right now.
• Read Quran for here and now.
• Experience the signs from the Quran in the order of creation which includes my order in creation as well.

Quran, by definition is the Speech of my Creator. If my Creator has not endowed me with the quality to confirm or reject the truth, how can He make me responsible for my choices then? Wisdom requires that I expect from my Creator to enable me to pursue the traces of what the news is so I can confirm or reject the message.

Confirming the reality and rejecting the reality has an impact on our psychology. Denier will feel that what s/he has chosen is terrible because deep inside their life is meaningless.

If I realize what the meaning of my existence is, then I can be sure of the Necessary Existence of the Giver of life. “Look I exist and my Creator has guaranteed my existence. And He is teaching me here how to get to know him better. To see how I can improve myself in terms of my mistakes and hope.” That is why Quran needs to be read here and now.

74:27: “Would that you knew what the hell fire is like!

• You should be able to experience the hell fire as per the order in the universe. You do not know how hell-fire feels because you are not denying the message. Try to imagine denying the message. Example: Sit in your room and say: I have no Creator, I will die one day and that is it. See how you feel.

74:28 “It does not allow to live, and neither leaves [to die]

You love living in this world and you know that you will disappear from here. If you deny the message about the existence of an Absolute Creator you neither enjoy life here because your consciousness makes you aware that you will lose everything one day. As you enjoy anything, it’s gone. Denial keeps you in agony where you are never satisfied with your state of being.

Our humanity has different side, one of which is the spirit. Spirit is a conscious being so I have to pay attention to consciousness. “I must be precious and I belong to the Absolute Creator”. Another side is our tongue which may say something but if the feelings do not follow suit, then we are unsatisfied.

• If you do not use your human side, then you face the consequence and deny the truth.

Every message you hear form the messenger, you will experience it within yourself. Apply it to yourself and be consistent with it.

74:29 “Making [all truths] visible to human beings.

• Listen to the message of the Quran with your human senses.
• Quran tells me what I am and what I should be careful about in order not to make a mistake in using my humanity.
• Quran does not tell me what to do in details; it only gives a general guideline of certain human behaviors.

74:30 “There are nineteen angelic powers in charge of it:”

• I face the consequence of denial through various means.
• “Nineteen” is just a random number which is insignificant in its literal meaning.

Angel= pure obedient creatures.

• Hell is carried by angels.  When we have a denying attitude we feel helpless. This feeling is carried by angels. These are angelic actions; they are not really a punishment but warnings to help us avoid the mistaken understandings.

74:31 “For We have caused none but Angelic Powers to be in charge of the fire of hell; and We have not caused their numbers to be aught but a trial for

• Those who are bent on denying the truth;
• And that they who have been granted revelation aforetime might be convinced;
• And that they who have believed might grow yet more firm in their faith;
• And that [both] they who have been granted the earlier revelation and they who believe [in this one] might be free of all doubt;
• And that they in whose heart is a disease and they who deny the truth outright might ask, “What does God mean by this parable?”
• In this way, God lets go astray him that wills [to go astray], and guides aright him that wills [to be guided]. And none can comprehend your Lord’s forces save Him alone, and all this is but a reminder to human beings.”

Again, the “number” of Angelic Powers itself from the previous verse is insignificant. The Qur’an calls it as a “parable.” It just shows various ways that makes one to deny the message.

• Don’t read the Absolute speech literally and summarize it.

Human feelings are angelic creatures. That is, when we do something right, we are happy and those feelings are angelic. Similarly, when we do something wrong, those feeling are angelic as well. Unfortunately, we have reduced ourselves to our physical material body only. What makes us human being is what the Quran encourages us to reflect on. Our reason, feelings, intellect and human qualities is what makes us human being alongside our physical body. They are all “given” to us. How can I be a human being if I do not attribute my existence to an Eternal Source?

As a result of denial, human feeling is angelic feeling, telling me what I do is contracting my human reality i.e. wrong. We are the screen of the message and also, the message is a screen reflecting on us.