Section Al A’raf – Part 61

In our previous session of the study of section Araf (Cognizant) of the Quran, we were advised to look at the signs in the universe, reflect on them. Call on the qualities observed in the universe which refer to the names of God. The “Malakoot” side of the universe is to be understood as everything is created with meaning, that meaning is pointing to the qualities of their Creator. The universe is clear evidence of the demonstration of God’s qualities. What other messages are people looking for?  The universe is out there announcing the qualities of its Creator. What else does one want? What else can I believe in other than the Creator of the universe? All the created beings are just like me.

We will continue with the following verses:

مَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا هَادِىَ لَهُۥ ۚ وَيَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـٰنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

7: 186 Whoever God allows to stray, then there is none to guide him; and He leaves them blindly wandering in their transgression.

The phrase “فِى طُغْيَـٰنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ” translated as “blindly wandering in their transgression” is referring to the speculative explanations, theories that are offered to explain the existence of the universe. These explanations are looking for the source within the universe and indicate that matter possesses such qualities by itself. Everyone is looking for meaning in their lives. How can one live without meaning and purpose in existence? Who would get involved in something meaningless? However, with their arrogance, some may reduce their existence to this meaninglessness. 

The phrase “مَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا هَادِىَ لَهُۥ ۚ” is translated as “Whoever God allows to stray, then there is none to guide him”. This phrase cannot be read literally as in principle God does not push anyone into misguidance. This message is for me not to follow misguidance or to adhere to a completely corrupt interpretation of the existence of the universe that denies reality. The purpose of the Quran is to take me out of the darkness of disbelief and enlighten my life with belief so that I develop a meaningful, relaxing and loveable understanding of life. The universe is created in such a way that I can directly connect to its Creator. The message tells me that I am not an orphan, nothing in the universe is an orphan as we are all connected and belong to our Creator, God. We are created to be His guests here in this world and extending to the next. We are being entertained at no cost, no bills, no tax but completely free. We thus understand that this type of creation belongs to a One who is the Creator of the universe. He is the creator of the human feelings which hate to do anything meaningless. I am taught to look for meaning in the universe and in my existence.

If one does not take the obvious signs in front of him, does not experience the feelings within himself by observing the creation outside, i.e. one doesn’t take notice of the signs pointing to their Creator, then they would not benefit from this reality of having a meaningful life. The universe is functioning based on the principle of His creation, i.e. the functioning of the universe is according to His principles. If one denies the signs pointing to their Creator, then the principle of creation is such that they would find themselves astray, indulging into misguidance (dalalah). As if this verse is saying, “if you insist on not taking the reasonable option under the guidance of your own creation then it is the principle within the creation of the universe that you will definitely end up without meaning and live a miserable life. I do not ignore your mistake, thus I am warning you about the end of your way because I love you and I hate to see you as my guest living a hopeless life in My wonderful free guesthouse, the universe.”

You are created by an Absolute Creator, you are being entertained here with no cost.

The verse “فَلَا هَادِىَ لَهُ” translated as “There is none to guide him”. If someone throws himself from the top floor of a high rise building then who can stop him from falling? No one, the inevitable result would be complete destruction. There is none apart from the Creator of the universe, apart from the order that has been established by Him. No one can introduce another law, another principle except what is established by Him to save the person from falling. You are created with free will to choose, so you can go as you like blindly not knowing anything about the purpose of your life because the end would be death anyway. If one does not believe in an Absolute Creator then one cannot really explain the reality of death in any other way. If one thinks that accidental things are happening here then that is what they deserve. What would be the expectation of death when everything is attributed to matter and therefore reducing his life into a body only, ignoring his human feelings and qualities? One would just be going into the earth and blending into the earth and nothing more? If that is the understanding of life in this world, carrying the burden and pain of meaninglessness and dead-end life will be the inevitable result. Everything that I gained here would be left behind. I have been given the freedom to choose where I should use the human qualities given to me, to either be guided by using my intellect or mislead myself by reducing my being to a chunk of matter, to wander in transgression.

يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلسَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَىٰهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى ۖ لَا يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ ثَقُلَتْ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَّا بَغْتَةًۭ ۗ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

7: 187 They ask you [sarcastically] about the Hour, “When will it be?” Say, “That knowledge is only with my Lord. He alone will reveal it when the time comes. Its burden is heavy throughout the heavens and the earth, and it will only take you by surprise.” They ask you as if you had full knowledge of it. Say, “That knowledge is only with God, but most people do not know.”

The word “أَيَّانَ” is translated as “when will it be?” which is asking sarcastically as in which day is it? Come on, it is impossible. This form of the word includes denial and impossibility of the event, i.e. the impossibility of this world to be destroyed. They think that since the universe is self-existing, it will continue like this; it cannot be destroyed. They are saying the universe is eternal and likening it and each of its parts to an “eternal God.” They are looking for the source of existence within the universe as they think the universe is self-existing and is not subjected to someone else’s will. This is an obvious logical contradiction for the source of existence to be in the existing thing itself. The universe is continuously changing, I cannot stop myself from aging and things are continuously dying in the universe. No one can stop those changes so what kind of self-existing universe can it be?

If a continuously changing thing cannot be self-existing then it cannot be Infinite. The well-known logical way to know something is by its opposite, that is how the human mind works. For example, I say the carpet is red which is based on the other colors I have been introduced to. If there were no other colors besides red, I would not be able to recognize the color red. I need other colors to compare with to be able to recognize the color red. Human logic works in this way such that in the case of the existence of the universe, if one says that the universe is self-existing, then it must be an Absolute one which cannot change, whereas the universe changes. The absolute one must be known through its opposite and it is suggested that the opposite of the nature of the universe is within the universe? This contradicts logic and does not make sense.

Generally, people miss this point that if something is subject to change then any part of that thing must also be subject to change. Most people don’t realize that the universe is going to be destroyed. They try to neglect it though they cannot neglect their own devastation however much they try to ignore it. The universe can only come into existence and change by the order/will of its Maker; it has no quality of itself to decide and know the future so that it will keep the order of the universe continuing with no discordance. The universe cannot be the establisher of the order to which it is subject to and therefore cannot choose but is subject to the order established by the Creator of the universe. If the universe is infinite as it is Absolute then it must not be subject to change. If something in the universe is self-sustaining having its own order, then it should not be subject to its own order, i.e. it cannot be dominant and be dominated at the same time by something else. There is no way to accept that the universe is eternal as explanations don’t stand ground. Some may think during his hot-blooded youth that the universe is eternal, we are going to be permanently here and forget that we will die one day.

The knowledge of the destruction of the universe is only with the Owner, Master, Lord and Creator of the universe. He establishes the rules, the order and principles that are operating and He will determine when to stop them. The universe is not physically being worked on by God but His absolute Will is being manifested where everything is being managed perfectly with no interference. The whole universe is under His control where His Will is continuously operating. The famous phrase “Be and it is” describes His Will operating. As a created being, I can only choose among the already created things, I cannot do anything by my will only but to choose from among the options given to me within the order of the universe and obey it.

The phrase “  ثَقُلَتْ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ” is translated as “its burden is heavy throughout the heavens and the earth”. What is this Hour’s burden, i.e. the burden of the last day? The day when God wills for everything to be destroyed and this universe not to exist as it is anymore. The phrase “the Hour’s burden is heavy” is a problem for most scholars. We can find some teachings to understand that it means the destruction of the universe, which is noticeable. To sustain its own existence is always a burden on the heavens and the earth. It is obvious to see that the universe is carrying its death as it is subject to change continuously and gradually dying. It is as if I, as part of the universe, am carrying my death on my back, always with me, the burden hanging behind my back. Everything has its own Hour, time of death. The nature of the universe carries the burden of its destruction within the way it exists. Neither the universe nor I have any quality to be self-subsisting. I cannot stop from  being subject to change, I am aging continuously and know that I am going to die one day. My hour is not known to me and is subject to the Will of my Creator. My death will take me by surprise as it is unknown to me. In a way we are always experiencing death as today I experience the death of my life created yesterday, in fact, all my past moments. The complete destruction would come suddenly, unexpectedly because it is not my choice and I cannot stop it. This means that I am also carrying the burden of my death within me.   

The phrase “ يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ كَأَنَّكَ حَفِىٌّ عَنْهَا ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ” translated as “They ask you as if you had full knowledge of it, Say, ‘That knowledge is only with God’”.  This verse reveals another aspect of God’s messengers. The messengers cannot know anything about “ghaib” (anything not physically experienceable.) For example, no one has any knowledge about tomorrow. The prophets in a way are saying that: “I am not the one that decides. I am telling you what my Creator taught me. My Creator is telling me that definitely there will be the Hour, destruction of the universe.” Most of the time we may not think of the reality that I am going to die and leave this universe.  

  قُل لَّآ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى نَفْعًۭا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ لَٱسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ ٱلسُّوٓءُ ۚ إِنْ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌۭ وَبَشِيرٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ

7: 188 Say, “I don’t have any power over benefit or harm for myself except as God wills. If I had knowledge of what is hidden [what God planned for future,] I would have multiplied benefits and not allowed harm to touch me. I am only a warner and a bringer of good news to those who believe.

Through addressing the prophet Muhammad (pbuh), God is addressing me through him. Everyone can say that they have no power to get benefit or protect themselves from harm except what God wills. God creates the universe in an order and allows me only to choose from the options provided for me. I must keep in mind that it is my reality. I cannot create anything I want, but choose from among limited options given to me.  I am always subject to the will of the Creator, if He wills he can give me something to benefit from and if He doesn’t will, I will not get it. We are advised to be aware that we do not own anything permanently as everything is subject to death at any time which is observable in our practical life.

The verse continues with “وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ” translated as “If I had knowledge of what is hidden” where the word “hidden” is the translation of the word “ghaib”, i.e. what is God’s plan for the future. The word “ghaib” also has the meaning of “Absolute Being” in other places but here is more related to God’s will for what the future holds which is “ghaib” or hidden from me. The existence of tomorrow is within the universe but is “ghaib” for me as I don’t know what I will experience tomorrow. The term in Arabic is “ghaib-al-nisbi” which is relative to my situation where I don’t know what I will experience tomorrow. The other term is “ghaib-al-Mutlaq” which refers to the Absolute “Ghaib”, the Absolute Being who we don’t know but are sure must exist. 

The phrase “ لَٱسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ ٱلسُّوٓءُ ۚ” translated as “If I had knowledge of what will happen in the future, I would have multiplied benefits and not allowed harm to touch me”. The word “ٱلْخَيْرِ” translated as “benefit” is what is good for me. In Arabic, material properties are also included in “benefits” but whatever events I face are good for me. It is a blessing that we are not able to know the future, “ghaib” Have we wondered why this is so? I am given an existence living in the present and not knowing what will happen next or tomorrow. I don’t know what is happening deep down in the earth, what other things are happening in the universe. If I knew tomorrow, what would I do? I would not be able to use my free will, make choices as I already know what will happen tomorrow; my life would become like a robot with no free will to choose. It is impossible to live in this world if we knew the future. For example, some years later I will have this disease or tomorrow I will face this. What will happen, I will not go to anyplace as I don’t want that thing to impact me. This is contrary to human life conditions and defeats the purpose of my existence here. That is why we should not wonder to know “Ghaib” within the universe. The only thing to see is that the universe is pointing to the existence of an Absolute which triggers my curiosity as I want to know who my Owner is. 

By not knowing my tomorrow, I live a meaningful life as mentioned in a prophetic narration to pray as if it is your last prayer. In the Christian tradition the concept of the “last supper” where no one can guarantee that I will have my breakfast tomorrow. We have 99.9 percent of hope because we are used to how the order of the universe is arranged. We got used to it and have the expectation for it to happen in the same way but it is not guaranteed. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. If known to me, I would make additional arrangements and avoid tomorrow’s created situation. However, that is not the case as we are not guaranteed a tomorrow. None of the pieces of this universe can give me any guarantee for my tomorrow; they exist only within the order of the universe as they are created by its Owner. I do not know what He decides to determine. From my perspective, anytime, anything may happen. We should not bother about what will happen tomorrow, for instance, by naively going to fortune tellers or palm readers who are just entertainers. I should take precautions within the order, the options that I am presented with.

Another blessing in not knowing my tomorrow is how I can live in this world by having trust in my Lord. I don’t know but the One who is going to create it knows as I see in His order in how things are working perfectly with wisdom. This is the only way to have a continuous connection with my Creator and acknowledge that everything is created is nothing but His favor. I don’t know but the One who creates me knows. Let me be in contact with Him and always present my petition to Him. You know what tomorrow brings to me, please make it good for me. I must be in supplication, invoking God, to be beseeching Him. The good I get is in His hand. I should only expect from Him. My prayer to God is already within His knowledge and my tomorrow is planned according to my prayer today. We should never mislead ourselves that God’s knowledge functions like mine but God’s knowledge is All encompassing of past, present and future. Everything must already be known to my Lord. Absolute Knowledge encompasses everything perfectly. His knowledge does not affect my choices in living. My duty is to choose to pray and hold on to my responsibility. We should understand that by not knowing “Ghaib”, the future that I do not know from today, is the best way of communicating with God. By invoking Him, expressing our need for Him always.

The phrase “ إِنْ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌۭ وَبَشِيرٌۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ” translated as “I am only a warner and a bringer of good news to those who believe.” In a way, “I am employed to transfer the news from my Creator to you. To be a warner in the sense to make me realize that by following the wrong choices, I would be suffering with pain. I should stop doing the wrong, seek forgiveness and go on the right path. 

Nothing I do is ignored, everything is recorded. If I ask for forgiveness, my record would include that I asked for forgiveness. Usually God guarantees sincere forgiveness where I make the decision of never going back to making wrong decisions. If I make a mistake again, I should go and ask for forgiveness a second time. I have to keep in mind that whenever I do something wrong, I have to acknowledge that it was wrong and repent. I understand that God must be “Ghafur” which is the quality of deleting, so hopefully He will delete my mistake. For example, I have to press on the delete key of the keyboard to erase the wrong letter. That is my reality where I have to ask for forgiveness for it to be deleted.

The prophets never say something from their knowledge, from their whims, but are employed by their Lord. I bring good news for the honest people that confirm the reality. I bring warning as I am expected to bring to those who need it. This is only beneficial to those who believe. The word “يُؤْمِنُونَ” refers to those that are consistent in their belief. It is not only once that I believed but it is a continuous belief. They are called the people who are consistent in practicing belief “Qawmun yu’minoon”.

The word “ مَا مَسَّنِىَ ٱلسُّوٓءُ” is translated as “would not allow harm to touch me”, something that touches me and I don’t like it. We are created with the sense of liking and disliking. According to my taste of disliking, I don’t want some things to happen to me. For example, according to me I have to avoid diseases and death. However, the creation of disease and death is not harmful. Yes, I should avoid diseases and death by not putting myself in a dangerous situation which would result in my death. The creation of any matter is completely different from my relationship with it. God asks me through giving me the sense of love for a healthy life to keep my body healthy, my mind and feelings healthy. On my side I have to run away from the harm, i.e. keep away from it. However, God in a way says that: “when I decide to create what you may think harms you, its creation is to make you understand your reality better. That means that it is good for me although I may not like it. I need to be careful not to confuse two sides of the coin, one is the creation of death and the creation of my feeling not to like death and thus avoid it, and the other is my duty to act according to the feeling given to me. I will keep avoiding harm but when it is created I will think the Creator is my Lord, why should He create something harmful for me? I can understand that He is helping me out His love for His creatures, for me not to forget the purpose of my existence. 

My responsibility is not to confuse the creation of a thing with my relation to that creation which I may not like. Although it is my reality that I do not like what I experience, I need to think for what reason it was created by the One who gave me the sense of disliking it and still creates it. I should stop coming to a quick judgment about it and start complaining but think about who has created it.  After the creation of something that I don’t like do I start seeing the wisdom in its creation. As being my Conscious and Wise Creator if God wills something, He wills it for my benefit. Whatever we may think is not good for me and is created then it must be out of the Mercy and Wisdom of God. And then I should try to see the wisdom in its creation. For example, death is also created out of the Mercy of God. If there was no death, there would be no aging, there would be no change then how can I know what is going on in this world? I have to be in a changing world so I know what is good and what is harmful. I need to be able to use my free will to make choices which are right and avoid those that are wrong. This world is established in the perfect way that fits my education and training so that I will prepare myself to face my Creator. At the end of my education I will be able to say: “I knew you and believed in You as being my Merciful, Wise Owner”.

We have to see that everything created is “khair”, good for us. The fact that I am given the sense of disliking something is purposeful so that I avoid it. For example, I have to avoid falling into denial, which is an option. When I choose this option I am immediately given  the sense of despair and meaninglessness. The pain of despair is a Merciful reminder teaching me that I am choosing something wrong and I need to avoid it. In reality, in the creation of the things there is no harm. I should watch for my choices, i.e. to choose by avoiding the harmful things and choosing the good things. I have to choose belief which absolutely makes sense whereas unbelief does not exist and is wrong. We should not choose disbelief and run away from that harm.