Section Al-Furqan – Part 17
We are continuing with our study of Section Al-Furqan of the Qur’an where we last investigated verse 24 describing the good news of Paradise, a place that the human spirit is craving for. We discussed what it meant for Paradise to be the finest place of rest for everyone.
We will continue investigating the following verse:
وَيَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ ٱلسَّمَآءُ بِٱلْغَمَـٰمِ وَنُزِّلَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ تَنزِيلًا
25:25 And the Day when the heavens are split open with clouds and the angels are sent down in successive ranks.
Although the previous verse described the people of Paradise, this verse goes into what will be happening leading to the next creation. We can relate this to what is happening in our practical life right now. The verse describes that the heavens are split open with clouds for the angels which are sent down in successive ranks. The phrase “تَشَقَّقُ” means to split and open something. What is this verse really describing? The skies will be split open and then angels will come down in succession. The Qur’an speaks in a descriptive way where our Creator tries to draw our attention to what happens in this world. From there we can try to interpret the verse by seeing the relationship between clouds and angels.
Do we think there is an analogy between the clouds and the rain coming down from the sky in this world with the angels coming down from the heavens when the world is destroyed? The Qur’an mentions that the rain comes down from the sky, up there using the word “ٱلسَّمَآءُ”. We should understand the word “ٱلسَّمَآءُ” in its singular form as indicating the top, pinnacle of something or the purpose of something. If we study the Qur’an carefully, the “ٱلسَّمَآءُ” is the ultimate purpose of creation that is out there. When the plural “السماوات” is used, it refers to the layers of the existence of the skies. Translators usually translate it as heaven and heavens as they cannot go into the details of the words.
The word “غَمَـٰمِ” is translated as rain. The word also has the meaning of something heavy, something that is threatening to human beings. Usually, the word “غَمَـٰمِ” means the coming down of the mercy of God, represented in the form of rain that we observe in this world. This also is used in the Qur’an as analogous to the angels coming down from the heavens when this world is destroyed with the opening of a new creation, the Hereafter.
As the rain comes, angels come with them. As the rain continues to come down, angels also continue to come down. Rain represents giving life to the dead earth. The Qur’an uses the word “أَنزَلْنَا” which means to come down. Many things happen when rain comes down, such as plants growing for the benefit of insects, animals, plants, and human beings. The purpose of these plants and animals signifies them as being the best representatives of their Creator’s work. Again, when rain comes down, angels come with them representing the angelic side of the universe. The dead earth now represents the infinite qualities of its Creator through the way that the things are created. This way of creation happening in the universe is referred to in the Qur’an as the angelic side of the universe.
We thus understand that rain should draw our attention to who is sending the rain. The consequence of sending this rain is the angels come down with them. This is one of the beautiful descriptions of the Qur’an which is also referred to by the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). There is a hadith narration about the raindrops being carried down by angels, i.e. every drop of rain is carried by angels. There must be a relationship between them. How do we think that these kinds of hadith narrations must be read? One cannot imagine a physical being as a vehicle taking in a raindrop bringing it down. Every event is created with its angelic side. The raindrops are not acting by themselves but are acting according to the command and will of the Creator. Angels are represented in the form of raindrops. The existence of the raindrop discloses the qualities of its Creator. The phrase “angels carrying the raindrops” means that the angelic side of the raindrops represents the angelic side of creation. The events are created perfectly where out of dead earth living beings are created perfectly. I must observe the earth and try to understand how it is being created. One may take it to the laboratory to see what the components and structures are but that doesn’t explain the source of existence. The creation of beings is happening out of God’s mercy. That is why the practicing Muslims do not say that “it is raining” but they say, “mercy is coming down”. This verse describes the event as angels are coming. The description of rain by the Prophet (pbuh) as being carried down by angels connects this understanding as well. This corroborates that the angelic side of the universe is created out of mercy. Every event has a “ٱلسَّمَآءُ” where this demonstration showing purpose and meaning in creation allows me to get to know who my Creator is. I thus understand every event is decided and created by a conscious Merciful Being who is the One who creates me. This is a great understanding of the existence of the universe.
Let’s see the relationship between this and verse 25:22 which also mentioned the angels. We discussed that those who do not see the angelic side of creation do not appreciate it, don’t receive the news about their Creator, ignore the news, see everything as meaningless, they will face the denial of the angels. In the next creation, they will face the angelic side of creation which are the manifestations of the qualities of God, which will tell them to go away from them, they will reject them and not treat them with mercy. In contrast, the following verse 25:24 described the people of Paradise who would be secure in the finest place to rest.
ٱلْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلْحَقُّ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ۚ وَكَانَ يَوْمًا عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَسِيرًۭا
25:26 that Day, true sovereignty will belong to the Merciful, and that will be a difficult Day for the disbelievers.
The verse presents the scenario of the Hereafter where good news will come for those who believe in the angelic side of the universe in this world. In contrast, the disbelievers who know the truth and deny it will suffer. For example, there are different types of ants discovered and some materialist scientists cheat people by saying they are the result of evolution. That is such an insult to the Creator of those ants. The phrase “ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ” is in active form meaning to deny the reality knowingly and deliberately. One needs to know the truth to be able to deny it. We cannot accuse anyone of being a denier. If someone doesn’t know the truth, they are ignorant (جاهلون ) and not deniers.
The verse says, “the true sovereignty belongs to the Merciful One, but that will be a difficult Day for the disbelievers.” How can we reconcile these two parts of the verse? If someone is aware of the reality but denies it, then this person should be held accountable. For example, when someone wrongs someone knowingly then we look for justice to punish the person who did the wrong. Who is being wronged in this verse? When a person knowingly denies, he is denying the existence of the angelic side of the universe which is the denial of the angels. This denial further extends to the denial of the Employer of the angels, the Creator of the heavens and earth. They thus commit crimes against their own Creator as if they own themselves. Like thieves, they appropriate the qualities of God to themselves.
The Qur’an uses the term “مَلَكُوتِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ” which explains many of the problems that we face in this world such as why do things happen that I don’t like. Our interpretation of events happening in the universe usually goes in the wrong direction when we don’t understand the angelic side of the universe. That is why for the deniers, God says they will be facing a difficult day. If one doesn’t recognize the creation of the universe out of God’s Mercy, the events happening in the universe out of His Mercy then God says that “if you deny My Mercy, insult Me, by claiming that matter happens to exist by itself, then you are denying Me. Everything would exist as a lump of matter for you including your own existence, a lump of matter like a stone” . The Qur’an describes the fuel of the fire of Hell as human beings and stones (2:24), which is when they turn the meaningful universe into a stone as opposed to a meaningful book. The existence of stones is meaningful but, in the analogy it is used to describe the result of the deniers claim by turning the universe into a lifeless, meaningless being. In comparison,a person who treats a book only as piles of paper sheets, which is full of angelic knowledge. Thus, the deniers’ interpretation of seeing things as stones will also be treated like stones. This is why it will be a difficult day for them when they see no mercy in anything that they are presented with in this world. They close the door of mercy to themselves. God is treating everyone including them with mercy, but they deny it. They themselves are making their lives difficult, not that God will make their lives difficult.
The Qur’an presents the case where anyone denying the truth, the angelic side of the universe, is hurting himself. One cannot get to the end of the meaning of the verses, we must read the verses within the context of the Qur’an, within the purpose of the Qur’an. Thus, we will realize that the descriptive language of the Qur’an contains many meanings within its layers.
For example, if a guest is invited to a house and the owner says you may go to the kitchen and help yourself with whatever is there. If he goes to the kitchen’s garbage bin and says that the owner is asking me to eat from this disgusting trash. Is the owner doing something wrong or is the person himself denying the beautifully and mercifully prepared food by going to the trash can and denying the mercy, meaningfulness of the food in the kitchen? He will be depriving himself of all the merciful bounties. That is exactly what the deniers of the angelic side are doing to this universe.
Do you think there may be Mercy in the creation of Hell? Remember the difference between “Rahman” and “Raheem”.
Yes, there is mercy in the creation of everything including Hell, but the deniers choose to go there by turning the merciful creation of everything into hell.
The word “Rahman” is the mercy that every being receives everywhere. Some may choose to deny this mercy. When rain comes, which is a manifestation of “Rahman”, plants grow, and everyone benefits from it. When the sun is shining, another manifestation of “Rahman” where everyone benefits from it. If I torture myself by choosing the denial of the reality of the universe and claiming that it is meaningless, life is meaningless, everything will be gone when I die, that is my interpretation. The Qur’an describes God as “Rabbul Alameen, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Raheem”. The manifestation of “Ar-Raheem” is for the one who manifests and acknowledges His “Rahmah”, His mercy.
The phrase “Ar-Rajeem” includes the active and passive participle together in one form. One aspect indicates the one who is stoned, stoned away and the other aspect is the one who continuously stones you with the misinterpretation of everything, false ideas and bad actions. “Rajeem” thus has two meanings at the same time where one is to reject and stone away the Satanic interpretations and the other side is Satan throws stones at us, whispers to us wrong things.
In the same way “Ar-Raheem” has that dual connotation where when I don’t acknowledge God’s “Rahmah”, Mercy then the “Rahmah” rejects me back. If I acknowledge the Creator’s Mercy then the Mercy comes to me where my spirit receives the message of the infinite qualities of my Creator. I am created with infinite desires and when I see the infinite qualities of my Creator manifested, I can match them up; I understand that only He can satisfy my infinite desires. That is the mercy of God treating me with His “Raheem” side. Only the believers can receive the “Raheem” side of the mercy of God in this world as well as in the next creation. Everyone eats food, breathes air but only the believers, the ones who confirm the reality in the way things are created by a Creator, by acknowledging God’s infinite qualities receive the “Raheem” side. For example, a denier eats a tangerine and gets some benefits to his body. The believer also gets the same bodily benefits but realizes the tangerine as a manifestation of the mercy of God satisfying his needs. The creation of the tangerine manifests the qualities of its Maker with the beautiful design, attractive smell, packaging, each section carefully packaged. God presents the tangerine to me in a way like saying: “I love you”. The spirit benefits from the angelic side of the tangerine and receives the news of its Creator. Although I eat tangerines, I get the news from my Creator and benefit from knowing the infinite qualities of my Creator. The other person says that the tangerine evolved by itself and does not receive the eternal qualities of its Creator.
Another example, at a university, the professor gives a lecture, and some students pay attention while others don’t. Only those who paid attention and learnt would be successful. Those who didn’t pay attention are depriving themselves of the teachings from the professor. This is what the deniers receive by not paying attention to the angelic side of the universe, they deprive themselves of the infinite qualities of God.
Another example, if someone receives an illness. The believer sees this as a reminder from his Creator reminding him to appreciate life, health that he has been given by God. He is the One who creates health, giving me a healthy life for 30 years for example, asking me to recognize who the source of health is. By creating the sickness, He is asking me to go back to Him, the One who gives health. This is how the believer communicates with God and gets pleasure.
We must remember that the Qur’an is speaking to us now, before we die. What does this verse tell us now? We should never forget to benefit from the angelic side of the universe. We should not turn a blind eye to the manifestations of the mercy of God but must acknowledge Him and be thankful to Him.
Tags: Belief, Feelings, human qualities, Life, Lord, Quran, Worship