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Section Fatiha, part 5

Section Fatiha, part 5

Recap: Our aim is to see the connection between the verses in the sections of the Quran, referred to as “surah” in Arabic.  While extracting the meanings from the verses, we are also looking into the relationship between the verses, how they are connecting to each other to knit into a fabric i.e. weave a worldview for its reader.  

In verse 1:1, “bi ismi Allah-ar-rahman ar-raheem”, In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Ever-Merciful, the words ar-rahman ar-raheem, have a slight variation in their meaning when compared to the verse 1:3 of Section Fatiha where the same words ar-rahman ar-raheem have a different context.

When we say, “bi ismi Allah-ar-rahman ar-raheem”, there is no verb specified in this verse, it is left open to our verbal actions.  For example, when I am combing my hair, the action is done in the name of the One who creates the action of combing.  You are smiling, in the name of the One who creates the action of smiling.  Similarly, when you sit, you say “bi ismi Allah-ar-rahman ar-raheem“, which means that you are sitting in the name of the One who creates this action of sitting for you; your God enables you to sit, not that you are sitting by yourself or can create the action of sitting by yourself; rather, your God provides everything for you to sit.  

When you say, “bi ismi Allah”, the word “Allah” (God) is a general proper name that encompasses every quality manifested in the universe belonging to Him.  Practically, whatever qualities we encounter and realize in our living would comprise the qualities of God.  These qualities are called the “Beautiful Names of God” i.e. asma-ul-husna, and, “Allah (God)” is a general umbrella term,  a proper name for the Creator of the universe.  Then comes the specific quality of ar-rahman (the Merciful One), which we can see manifested in the universe.  We observe that everything is created out of Mercy, it does not have to be like that but it is.  For example, the rain is smoothly sent down from the sky manifesting a perfectly arranged merciful act of creation (quality).

When the quality of ar-rahman (the Merciful One) reaches us very closely where we see it as a stamp in each being at every moment, the quality of ar-raheem (the Eternally Merciful One) signifies the absolute qualities of the Creator manifested continuously pointing to the meaning of that stamp of Eternal Mercy on the creation of every being.  In other words, ar-raheem (the Eternally Merciful One) points to an Absolute Eternal Merciful One.  That is, my feelings connect to ar-raheem (the Eternally Merciful One).  If the beings were not meaningful by manifesting in them the qualities to introduce their Creator to me, then the beings would be reduced to a lump of matter, which would mean nothing ultimately.  However, my feelings recognize ar-raheem (the Eternally Merciful One) manifested in all beings.  

My feelings are like a telescope.  When you zoom in on a particular thing with your telescope, you start communicating with that particular thing.  Similarly, when you zoom in on one of your feelings and relate it to one stamp of ar-rahman (the Merciful One) quality that you see manifested in creation, then you can communicate with ar-raheem (the Eternally Merciful One) as well corresponding to your feelings that yearn for the eternal satisfaction.  

  • Again, “Allah” is the general umbrella term, ar-rahman (the Merciful One) are the qualities manifested in the universe, and ar-raheem (the Eternally Merciful One) gives an eternal meaning to my existence, which connects me with “Allah”.  Without meaning I cannot connect and communicate with anything.

Thus, “bi ismi Allah-ar-rahman ar-raheem ” is indicating the One whose qualities I acknowledge to be manifested in things, and everything shares these qualities at the same time.  For example, to create a fly, One must have the power to create the whole universe.  Similarly, to locate a wing of a fly, One must know the whole body of the fly and arrange the fly perfectly in harmony with the rest of the universe.  The fly is created for a purpose, directly connected with the atmosphere.  The fly is created with the need for sunlight.  The sunlight needs the solar system to keep its arrangement.  What is arranging such an unbelievable connection among all these beings?!  As a human being, we have the potentiality to perceive all of creation interconnected and interwoven with each other, and we have a connection with it.

With such practical observations and reflections, Allah-ar-rahman ar-raheem comes to me.  However, only when I notice, admire and appreciate the creation of anything and see how useful everything is in its existence and the One who created it must be An Absolutely Merciful, Powerful, Knowledgeable and Wise Creator (just to name a few qualities), only then do I start communicating with Allah-ar-rahman ar-raheem, the Creator of the universe.

     ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 

1:2 “All praise is due to God alone, the Lord of all the worlds.”

What am I praising?  The qualities of the Creator of everything.  My praise is connected with my feelings i.e. whatever I like, enjoy and stay away from is created for me by my Creator, hence my praise goes to my Lord.  There are infinite qualities manifested in creation, and whichever one I choose to zoom in on, I realize that the quality is wonderful, and its Creator needs to be appreciated.  Just as when an opera singer performs well, you appreciate the act, and stand up to applaud!  Similarly, we appreciate the manifested Names/Qualities of God, and we express it verbally as well with consciousness, alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen i.e. all the manifested qualities belong to the Owner of the universe, God.   

Why is all praise to God alone and no one else?  

Who is “God”?  

What do you mean by “God” or “Allah”?

ٱللَّهُ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

“God, the Lord of all the worlds”

“God is the One who is the Lord of you and your world as well.  Connect all your human abilities to Him.  You realized that your abilities appreciate the qualities manifested in the existence of everything.”

Why do we say, “the Lord of everything”?  For example, when you look at the window of a building, you see that it is perfectly located within the structure of the whole building.  Everything in that building from the elevators, the frames of the windows to the electric supply, just to name a few items are all perfectly arranged and designed in harmony fitting each other.  The windows must be designed according to the structure of the rooms.  The rooms must be designed according to the structure of the various floors including the top floor and the bottom floor.  There are so many layers to the design of the building.  We conclude that there must be an Architect who designed the building including the frame of the window.  Similarly, whoever arranges the whole universe must be the Absolute One, the Creator of the universe.  Can you describe the Creator of the universe?  No, but you know that the universe must have an Owner. As you believe in the existence of  a necessary conscious architect after seeing the perfect arrangement of the building. Therefore, you define God as the Creator of the universe.  

When you say that you believe in God, it is not a myth or imagination.  It is the witness of His qualities that you see in the universe as to be the Owner of these qualities.  When you live life and experience the universe, the more you pay attention to the qualities manifested in it and appreciate it, the more you admire its Creator.  All that you should have in your mind are the qualities belonging to the One you admire, the Creator of the universe.  For example, you notice that your digestive system is perfectly maintained with the rest of the body/universe.  The One who is maintaining it is “God.”, not that the stomach or my body has knowledge, power, and will to maintain itself.  When you say “God”, it is the One who is the Maintainer, Creator, arranges everything in a perfect order, and provides you with everything that you need.  All these qualities that you observe must belong to a Conscious Being in Existence.  He must exist, and we cannot describe Him, because He is the Creator of the universe.  But we know that such a being must exist, which brings comfort to the spirit.  Hence, when you say that you believe in God, you know what you are talking about, and it is not imagination or a personification in created form. It is only your logical conclusion as a result of seeing the signs of His qualities manifested in each being.

What does “Lord” mean?  

The Lord of the universe means a landlord of the universe, who takes care of everything.  We are all renters of our physical existence, and the Owner of this universe, our landlord does not charge us anything.  We should have this understanding while we are living in the house of the universe.  Seriously think about it, for example, do you pay for the heating of the sun?  No. Do you pay for the air that you breathe?  No.  Isn’t the atmosphere provided for you!?  Yes.  We are just using everything that is provided to us.  We think that we own our properties, house, health, and wealth.  But what happens when we die!?  We realize who the Owner of everything that we are consuming is.  

When you cook something, are you the creator of that meal?  No.  You just cut and mixed a bunch of items from the universe, just like a farmer putting a seed in the soil and expecting for the produce to be created.  So, can anyone really claim to be the producer of anything?!  Think about how many times in a day do we relate our interactions and communication with the universe to our belief in God?  Sadly, in this secular environment , we are not taught to relate belief to our living experiences in the universe.  For example, look at a beautiful flower, the One who arranges all this beautiful scenery and garden is the One that we believe in as to be my Creator.  The practical side of belief is beautiful, if only we are conscious of it.  

How does the Quran describe God?

The phrase used is “رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ” i.e. the Lord of the universe, the Owner of the universe and the Creator of the universe.  This belief confirmation is very comforting, because we cannot imagine God and we do not need to go out of space to find God.  We perceive the universe with our reflections, intellect and feelings i.e. we are endowed with whatever we need to be aware of such connection with the rest of creation, and we have everything in us to do that.  In other words, each one of us is at the center of our own universe, where we are aware of the existence of that which is presented to us, around us and within our vicinity.  The broader our vision of the universe, the more we realize that the One who created me is the One I am aware of.  For example, when you look at a cantaloupe, the reflection of all the qualities (perfect design, shape, color, beauty…) of that cantaloupe remains with you.  Practically, your eyes see the qualities reflected in the cantaloupe, and it is recorded with you.  The Creator, God created you with the ability to perceive His qualities as much as you can, and He is the Creator of your universe i.e. whatever you have perceived.  That is, you are not an independent being from the Creator of the universe, because you exist within the context of the whole universe.  If you are aware of this reality, and when the tongue utters “rabbul alameen”, then you can comfortably relate your perception of the universe with the qualities manifested in the universe as belonging to God, which is the result of your observation, communication and interaction with the universe.  

That is why, the Quran keeps giving examples of various creatures, what may seem insignificant to us such as spiders, ants, olives, pomegranates, and other types of animals and flies.  God says that these are the evidence that are  provided to you to confirm your belief.  More than half of the names of the Sections of the Quran (chapter) are the names of creatures, and obvious things that we see, such as night (layl), pen (qalam), ant (naml), sun (shams), moon (qamar), human being (insaan), women (nisa’).  This lets us know that the Quran cannot be read without connecting it with the rest of the universe.  Similarly, we cannot physically isolate ourselves from the rest of the universe.  Also, we cannot spiritually and perceptually disconnect ourselves from the rest of creation.  Our feelings exist within the universe, and we cannot live in silo from the rest of the universe, which is rationally impossible!  That is why the Quran describes God in connection with the universe, “rabbul alameen” (The Lord of all the worlds).

We believe in God, who is the Lord of the universe. 

What kind of Lord is He?

رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ

“The Lord of all the worlds, the Most Merciful”

“Lord of the universe is the One who creates, maintains, demonstrates His perfect qualities (His Names) in everything He creates Mercifully. 

Why is He giving us the house of the universe freely and not charging us any rent?  The Lord who is creating everything with Mercy perfectly. Have you seen any creature which needs to be more perfect in its creation?  No.  The creation of everything is perfect.  For example, look at a frog, it lives on earth, breathes air, and then jumps in the water perfectly.  Ask the frog if it wants to be like a rabbit?  Similarly, ask the rabbit if it wants to be like a frog.  They will both reply, no.  I am perfect as I am created.  Look at a cherry tree, is there anything in the cherry tree that needs to be improved to make its living better?  No, the cherry tree is perfectly designed and created as it is.  Hence, the creation of everything is perfect.  Everything is mercifully created, perfectly created and incredibly arranged/designed.  You cannot say that the creation of a few cells in the human body is not perfect.  Sometimes our ignorance may lead us to conclude that the creation of a few cells may not be that necessary.  As Scientists make further discoveries, we realize that everything in creation is perfectly needed to complement each other and be in harmony with the rest of creation.  Nevertheless, we cannot say that the creation of something may not be perfect.

We can only understand “rabbul alameen” by qualifying it with evidence in the universe.  The One who has created everything perfectly out of His Mery.  What kind of Lord is He?  He is a Merciful Lord.

How about those creations we call calamities or wars for instance?  Innocent people are being slaughtered?”

Are the calamities also a Merciful creation?  What about wars and atrocities? Is there Mercy in them?

There are so many examples throughout human history from colonization to nationalism where we see innocent people suffering for political reasons.  There is one main problem that we must understand.  This universe is established as a training place, where everyone is free with what they want to do.  With such freedom, we can see that human feelings have no limit, where you want to have perfect satisfaction for everything.  

  • As a transient training place, the universe is so huge and perfect, but it is nothing next to an Eternal Life.  

Just as during the school journey, every student is free to be as attentive as they wish in their studies, however, at the graduation ceremony, some students earn their degree, and some do not.  Similarly, we must understand that we are here free, and people can do anything that they want, including transgressing against their human nature, oppressing other human beings, even killing them, exploiting animals and plants etc.  In this way, their status as a student of the universe does not change, and human freedom is not interfered with, that is what human dignity requires.  However, when people get their degree at the conclusion of this life, then we see the result of their consequences in the Hereafter. Since justice has not been established here on earth as it should be, we understand that after the graduation day there must be a life where every student practices what they have learned during the school days or not. If there were no life after graduation, what would be the point of studying hard or merely using school facilities without truly learning? This would reduce education to a meaningless endeavor.

  • If I learn, then I will say, “that is what I learned”.  
  • If I do not learn, then I will say, “that is what I lost”.  

The Creator of the universe knows who deserves what, and accordingly, the arrangement of the universe is a preparation for eternal life.  Whether you live here for 100 years or 25 years, at the end, you are a candidate for an eternal life.  What matters is one’s eternal life as this universe is transient.  The student will reap whatever s/he has harvested during the education, which s/he will practice at the end.  God arranges everything in such a way that helps us fulfill the purpose of our existence here.  If we think that someone would live here for at least 65 years, but is given death at 25 years, then it is as if the Creator is saying to the person, “I have chosen you as if you have fulfilled your mission perfectly, and I will accept it from you”, which is called “martyr” (in the language of the Quran).  “I will take life from you from this world and reward  you fully, as if you completed your purpose of existence”, because He is the One that gives life, entertains us in the universe, allows us to fulfill our mission by getting educated here and finally, creates death for us. If someone denies that life on earth is merely a temporary opportunity for education and reflection, they will struggle to understand why some people are afforded better opportunities than others. Why? The reason is simple: their reasoning is based on a flawed assumption—that existence has no purpose, and that when we die, we simply cease to exist, having emerged by chance through meaningless, purposeless, and unconscious events.

That is how the freedom of this worldly life is not interfered with by Him. Our free will is left completely free to operate.  For example, if someone wants to kill you, s/he is free to kill you.  What about you?  God says, “I will punish the one who kills you and I will take care of you”.  The results of our doings will be rewarded at graduation i.e. death. We will be living after graduation according to how much we have learned or not. If an innocent person is taken away from the school before it is completed, the school administration will never treat this person as he has not learned and will let him suffer from the lack of necessary knowledge. That is how the Quran introduces to us the concept of “martyr”.

If someone does not accept that this life on earth is a transient training education place, then this person is bound to react to calamities and injustices psychologically.  In other words, if someone does not believe that the real purpose of life is for eternal life (hereafter), and sees that when I die, I will disappear, then this person cannot understand the calamities, injustices and wars going on, because it does not make sense.  Think about it, if someone harms you, and there is no one to bring justice about it in this world, and you know that you will die and disappear at the end, what kind of Mercy is it?!  Similarly, you are given youth until a certain age, and afterwards you lose your abilities, and are bound to die, what kind of Mercy is it?!

  • Mercy eternally manifests in the hereafter, here Mercy manifests on a transient base.  
  • Everything is created with mercy, though the outcomes of certain events may not align with our expectations in this world. This is why the existence of the hereafter is essential. Just as school facilities are meticulously prepared for students, who are given freedom yet occasionally face tests and assignments they may dislike, everything here serves a purpose. 

If someone does not believe that human beings are created as candidates for an eternal life, then they start to complain to God that how come the One who Mercifully creates the universe, is letting injustice prevail?  Such a complaint is alluding that if there was a God, then there shall be no injustice.  However, as per the school analogy given above, the school administration knows which student will deserve a degree and accordingly the student will enjoy their life after graduation from school.  Similarly, the Creator of the universe promises us an eternal abode/degree, if only we are aware of it.

Even if one does not experience the need for justice, our existence with our human qualities within us requires eternal satisfaction.  These qualities within me need eternal satisfaction, the One who made me gave these feelings to me.  We all want never ending perfection.  Hence, if there was no hereafter, regardless of injustice, my existence necessitates an eternal existence, a promise to be fulfilled.  Otherwise, what type of Mercy is it? If Someone gives me existence with these qualities and at the end kills me, how would I feel? Because at the end, the whole human journey in this school of the universe becomes meaningless then?!

How can we explain the deep aversion we feel toward the idea of a meaningless end to our lives? Where does this feeling come from? If we recognize that this innate sense is instilled in us by our Creator, why would we assume He would create us with such a feeling only to subject us to an apparently meaningless end at death? This very sense of disliking meaningless endings serves as a promise from Him that we will not be cast into annihilation.

If a person does not realize that their existence is the witness to a life after death, i.e. that there must be an eternal life, then this person is bound to live a depressed life pretending to be happy with transient entertainment.  There must be an eternal life, otherwise the One who made me must not be a Wise Creator.  For example, if we are given hunger and there is no nourishment here, then what type of existence is this which makes no sense?!

  • Without a hereafter, this Merciful creation means no Mercy at all.  

No one wants to die.  We do not want to be an old human being and lose our abilities.  Why is creation experienced in such a way?  There must be some reason for it.  It means that we must prepare ourselves for such an existence where we will be transferred, and our feelings will be satisfied eternally.  

  • Without the existence of a hereafter, human life would mean nothing.

Comment: Not every death that we see seems as a result of Mercy, how can we justify that?

From our perspective, it may not seem so. We are not here to live permanently. Whoever has given me life decides on when I should leave this world and gives me my final grade accordingly.

In school, every test that a teacher gives you is a sign that you will get a final grade at the end. You are being trained here gradually, in preparation for an eternal life.  The way that we are given death is only to our body, and should not be to our spirit which hates to fall into nonexistence.  Everyone wants to preserve and continue their lives, even the person lying in the death bed wants to continue his/her life.  No one wants to die, and no one wants the death of their family and friends. What is the meaning of the existence that this feeling refers to? Death is not falling into nonexistence but a transfer of the body for another one which our educated feelings deserve after graduation, i.e. death.  

  • Human beings (spirit) don’t die, the body dies.  

It means that the human spirit got its education here, and, after graduation the spirit needs a new type of life with a body to communicate with the qualities that it experienced here.  That is why death makes sense and is a good sign as evidence that there must be an eternal life for my spirit. I will have a permanent body to entertain the results of what I cultivated in this life by acknowledging the qualities manifested in this universe as belonging to God and communicating with them.  People who wasted their human faculties will have nothing to experience in an eternal life.  That is how the Quran describes eternal life.  

Question: What about people who are born with  certain illnesses as a result of which they die, how do we see Mercy there? 

The main purpose of human creation is to understand who I am and who my Owner is.  We can only understand this reality of ours through our needs.  That is, the weaker I am, the better I understand that I am in need of being  given existence.  For example, can you create yourself as a human being?  No. The way that you are created reminds you that you are impotent.  Through your impotence, you see that your Creator can only be  the Powerful One Who creates everything according to His will.  Our relationship with our Creator is inversely proportional to our needs.  That is, the more I realize that I am needy, the more I realize who is providing my needs.  Hence, to answer the question, we need to understand that some people are created as “martyrs” for others to understand God’s Wisdom, God’s decree and the necessity of the existence of an eternal life.  

  • Existence is everything! 

Also, regardless of the circumstances, the Creator of the human being and the universe should know who deserves what.  For example, does anyone choose to be born in a certain place, at a particular time to a certain family?  No.  We cannot choose that; we are only responsible for the choices that we make after reaching the age of maturity.  

Everyone will be treated proportionately according to the conditions that they are created in.  For example, a primary school student is responsible for the learning of the curriculum that is covered in his/her class.  A High School student is responsible for the curriculum that is required for his/her grade level.  It would be wrong for anyone to say that the primary student has not fulfilled his/her responsibility as compared to the High School student, because there is no comparison to be made between the position and status of the primary school student with the High School student.  We are responsible for our own curriculum, and the proportion that we are given is decided by our Creator, because He is the One (not us) that will distribute the degree to everyone.  Without taking into consideration the belief in the hereafter, none of the problems can be solved.  

  • The necessary existence of a hereafter is important to comprehend the Mercy of God.

Let us take another practical example from Islamic tradition.  You are giving to charity, and you only have $100.  By giving $ 2.5, have you fulfilled your mission?  Yes.  For this, you will be rewarded at the highest level in eternal life.  Now, let’s say that John has a million dollars, but only gives $ 1000 for charity. Will he get the highest level as a degree?  No.  Thus, we are only responsible for the proportion that we are given.  

We must keep in mind that the very existence of anything is Mercy.  If someone does not believe in God, and starts arguing about what type of Merciful God is it that allows for atrocities, first we should ask them, how do you explain “existence” and the existence of your feelings?  Where did you get your feelings that revolt atrocities?    Human feelings have no connection to originating from matter or being produced by it; concluding otherwise is both illogical and absurd.

Comment: Since everyone has their unique curriculum, we do not know who is doing well in their studies.

In Islam no one has any right to pass judgments about others.  We cannot know what is going on inside people’s hearts.  Even a judge makes decisions based on evidence that is presented to him/her.  People are free to utter what they want verbally and not abide by it in their hearts.  Again, we cannot say anything about people’s intentions.  

Question: Did God create this entire universe so that we can witness his creation, know Him and worship Him? Or is this an egotistical conclusion?  It seems to be a humbling deduction.

My human feelings have no limit.  We are all responsible within our conditions.  For example, Astronomers claim that we can never get to the end of the universe.  Think about, how many galaxies are there in the universe?  Billions and even more.  We have the capacity to know that the universe is infinite for our capacity.  God created the moon to serve as an example of the planets, and the sun, as an example of the stars.  These are all the representatives of the universe.  When you see the moon, you should say, “Assalamualaikum! O, the representative of all the planets, you are giving an observable representation to me.”  

  • When you see the moon, speak to it, because you see it as matter, but you must communicate with its angelic side that communicates with your angelic side, i.e. spirit.  Your spirit knows and recognizes what the moon is doing, what function it performs and what qualities are manifested in its existence.  This meaningful side of the moon communicates with your capacity of perceiving the meaning.  This is an interesting way of communicating with inanimate beings, i.e. meaning manifested in their existence  to the human capacity which comprehends meaning.

Similarly, when you read a book, you learn the author’s knowledge.  As you read, you are communicating with the author.  Author’s knowledge is transferred to you through the material of the book.  Isn’t that exciting to realize?  You are communicating with the Author of the book, and s/he may have died long ago. Man dies, but the angelic (malakut in Arabic) side of the universe never dies.  They say that galaxies are dying, and we know that as we have seen our grandparents die.  When you look at pictures, you are communicating with the angelic side of the picture as well.

Finally, we must take our spiritual side seriously.  Alas, we live in an era where everyone takes care of their body by ignoring their spiritual side.  Please be aware that at every moment, your spirit is communicating with the whole universe and is aware of its existence.  It is a real-life experience.  That is exciting!  Unfortunately, we are not reminded of our spiritual side nowadays.




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