Section Ya-Seen – Part 13

We will continue to study section Ya-Seen of the Qur’an. Whereas the last few verses were describing the disbeliever’s position, a new subject will be studied here. The Qur’an has its unique way of presenting subjects which may seem unconventional. During the time the Qur’an was revealed to the first audience, it was also unconventional where the topic being discussed switches from one subject to another suddenly. This is one of the main characteristics of the Qur’an that we should learn about. The Qur’an is not instructing one subject to complete it and then follow with another one. The message is not structured in how academicians write books organized in chapters covering subjects. The message is addressed to the public who cannot read the Qur’an from cover to cover whenever they need it for guidance. During the revelation period, the Qur’an wasn’t sent as a complete book but came down step by step alongside the life of the prophet (pbuh) and the people around him. The aim was to construct human personality based on the purpose of the Qur’an. 

We must question: “Why does God speak?”, “Do I really need answers to my human questions while living in this world as the things in the universe are wonderful but mysterious. I don’t know what is going on exactly, why is the universe as it is, why am I given such abilities that I cannot fully use them to the fullest?” There is no clear answer from the universe to my questions, but the Qur’an gives those answers by establishing my world view, i.e. how I must perceive existence. Human life is not only theoretical but practical with so many questions that come to our mind. How should I behave in society? How should I practice my feelings in the correct way? How should I organize my life which keeps moving and changing?  

Humans have two paths to progress where one is that of encouragement, known as “Tabshir” in the Qur’an. This is done by giving good news about Paradise, about God’s Mercy, His assistance, relief, life, and existence that must continue. We also need to be educated and trained with warnings (Nadheer) which is the other path to progress. Another word is “Takhvif” or “Tarheeb” which is to give fear of the hereafter as a teaching mechanism. Since there is no punishment applied to the body while in this world, the Qur’an describes the results of denial in physical form in the hereafter. If I don’t fulfill the purpose of my existence, I will suffer severely within my existence while I am in this world so I must take my existence seriously. 

Human beings live in a social context, and we must organize our relationship with the rest of beings accordingly. How should I treat them? Gradually, the Qur’an constructs human personality so that everyone gets trained at every stage of their life. We should not be surprised while studying the conditions of the opponents of the prophets where the subject suddenly changes to the conditions of the people of paradise who will be busy with enjoyment only.  While the Qur’an is giving the answers, it doesn’t start from one subject to complete it before moving to another subject. This is called in the Qur’an “Iltifat”, i.e. while talking about one aspect of life, the subject turns to another aspect of life.  For example, while the Qur’an is speaking of the life in the hereafter, it suddenly brings the subject of: “what are you going to do with your property? How will you use it to benefit from them in such a way that they will remain with you even after you die? How will you divide and distribute it? This is the beauty of the Qur’an to guide me in my living right now and everyone regardless of their education can benefit from it.

We will investigate the following verse:

إِنَّ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلْيَوْمَ فِى شُغُلٍۢ فَـٰكِهُونَ

36:55 On this day the inhabitants of paradise shall be wholly taken up with joy,

Let’s go over a few questions and notes to understand this verse:

1. As believers, can we experience this pleasure with no pain of transience now?

In this life transience bothers us by making us understand that this world is not our eternal destination. How should I cope with this transience that brings pain? If there was no pain of transience, then how would I understand my needs and the desire for a new creation where there is no pain? If I understand that my existence must continue by my Maker and I am fully convinced about it, I may still experience unpleasant events that are either psychological or physical pain.

We must understand the main purpose of this creation. God is seriously educating us and training us in our life here. He does not leave me alone and keeps reminding me on many occasions about my impotence where I cannot guarantee anything. Whatever happens is not in my control, I cannot control anything in my life. I am a needy created being. After realizing that I am a completely impotent created being, I would wonder who is operating on me, controlling all this? I conclude that there must be a source of Existence of all these activities. He is introducing Himself to me: “Look, you cannot guarantee anything by yourself, only what I Will, happens. I am teaching you that you are a created, needy being” That is what I experience that not everything happens as I want but I am trained to understand who can guarantee my life, my expectations to be fully satisfied? It can only be the One who creates this universe with whom I can take refuge with. This One must be All Knowledgeable, All Powerful, All Wise, the One who guarantees my life, my expectations to be fully fulfilled and satisfied. Who can do that? Only the Creator of the universe. It is obvious that the universe is the work of a Conscious Being, to whom I must seek refuge with. The organizer of my life in this universe.

1. Spirit does not die. However, the spirit is trained here, it will continue to be the same in the hereafter. Why is death there then?

My human side, i.e. spirit is my principal existence. We understand that the principle of creation is constant and does not change. For example, water freezes under certain principles of freezing conditions. When the weather warms up, the ice melts to become water. This doesn’t mean that the principle of freezing disappeared, it still exists and when the weather gets cold again, the principle is active again. My body is subject to change whereas my human side is my principal existence which is not subject to change. Although my body may lose some ability to function, the human spirit desires to function fully. If the body is repaired after some illness, the spirit fully functions again. In whatever way the spirit is trained in this world, it will continue to operate the same way in the hereafter.

If spirit is not going to change, why is death created then? The body in this world, subject to continuous change, allows the spirit to function in a limited way. The spirit can operate at a much higher and larger capacity where the body in this world cannot fulfill it. For example, I want to see how all the galaxies are organized, I cannot see it with my naked eyes practically. If I realize that this is a need for me then the body says that I cannot fulfill it, you will need a new body that can work at a higher capacity. 

The spirit is qualified to recognize the Absolute qualities of the Creator. For example, my sense of love and wisdom realize that they are given to me by an Absolutely Wise One. I cannot really observe the Absolute manifestation of wisdom of the Creator, but I know that every stage of creation shows this manifestation of His wisdom. We see that thousands of scientists are devoting their lives to studying particles, stars, and galaxies. The human spirit wants to see the manifestation of the Wisdom, Knowledge and Will of the Creator operating in the universe with such perfect measurement and balance. There is so much beauty and purpose in their creation. My body does not let me realize all these qualities to their fullest. The Creator of my spirit lets me know, promises me by creating these capabilities within me that they must be satisfied if it is not in this creation, then in another way of creation that allows the spirit to function fully as it is developed and trained in this creation of the world. If I become aware of them, I will expect my Creator to manifest His qualities in such a way that I can comfortably experience their manifestations. My body in this world changes and loses its abilities in old age and dies at the end. I am not my body; I would like to leave this body and ask my Creator to give me a new body that I can communicate with the manifestation of His qualities in such a way that I will enjoy them. In this world, I must develop my human potential in order to earn a body in the next creation that the spirit deserves. That is why death is good news to fulfill my expectations. If there was no death, I would feel the prison of this body, confined to a narrow world. My spirit is looking for that vast fulfilling world where it would be free. That makes death a Mercy of my Creator. The news of death comes to me by losing hair, getting white hair, body losing its abilities gradually giving me the news that Merciful death is approaching. 

1. Paradise means there is no losing pleasure, no pain of transience. Everyone’s cup is full.

I must develop my capacity as much as I can by transforming my potential into capacities which means I will have a larger cup so that in the next creation I will deserve to experience satisfaction at a higher level. That is necessary for the justice of my Creator to reward everyone according to their effort in this world on how they have developed their given potential. Everyone’s paradise will be unique based on how they spent their life here, how much they have educated and trained themselves to different degrees in recognizing their reality and that of their Creator. Everyone’s cup is of different sizes, but everyone’s cup must be full which makes Paradise satisfactory for people without feeling that they are missing something. Everyone gets their degree according to their level; my cup is filled according to my capacity. I will know as much as I learn, and I will not know what I haven’t learnt. If someone’s cup is smaller than another’s cup, they are each responsible for their cup of capacity. One would not know how much the other is enjoying as they each enjoy themselves according to their cup of capacity. 

The scholar Nursi uses an example to explain this where people are invited to a banquet. Everyone sits in that same banquet; they enjoy it according to their taste. The one who has developed their palette to the highest level, gets to enjoy it at that level. Another person who has not developed their taste that much will enjoy it to the level that they have. Both will exclaim that they are fully satisfied without knowing the satisfaction of the other. There will be no comparison of pleasure with others. One thing for sure is that everyone must be fully content in Paradise.

I must be ready in this world by training myself in acknowledging my Creator as much as I can so that my pleasure in the hereafter will be according to the “cup” of my capacity. I must aim for a bigger cup.

هُمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُمْ فِى ظِلَـٰلٍ عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ مُتَّكِـُٔونَ

36:56 they and their spouses seated on couches in the shade.

A question arises: what If I am not married in this world, will I be with no spouse in the hereafter? We see that the word “أَزْوَٰجُ” is the plural form of the word “زْوَٰجُ”. The Qur’an uses this word occasionally, usually translated as “pair”. We cannot talk about “pairs” in terms of gender as it can be whatever I want to complete my satisfaction with, this counterpart or pair will be with me. The Qur’an speaks by giving worldly examples from this world we live in and experience. In general, human beings are satisfied with their counterparts as opposite genders. The word “أَزْوَٰجُ” is used with two meanings at the same time: one referring to the counterpart as in spouse and the other referring to counterparts as lovable beings paired with me. 

From the “Fiqh”, jurisprudence perspective, the understanding of the word “أَزْوَٰجُ” describes the husband-and-wife pair which is correct. However, the Qur’an uses the word “أَزْوَٰجُ” in many ways.

One may wonder what Paradise with the pairs or counterparts be like as everyone is at their own level? Paradise means that all the dirt and rust has been cleaned out, pardoned. We cannot think of Paradise as we experience the world here; it will be a completely different creation. In this world, one may have a spouse as a counterpart. In Paradise, the creation is completely different where the counterpart will have all the rust removed making them pure, making them as counterparts that are fully matching my expectations. In the next creation, Paradise means everyone’s imperfections will be cleaned off. This new type of creation will be completely different to what we experience here. To be with a perfect counterpart may be ideal in this world but in Paradise, everyone will be fully satisfied with their counterparts.

What do we think “couches” is referring to? The state of existence, the way we exist, the living conditions that we are experiencing here may not always be rosy.  The comfort we feel in undisturbed spaces is often symbolized in the Qur’an by the image of being “seated on couches.” Nothing will be bothersome or disturbing to me in my existence, which is life in Paradise.

The phrase “فِى ظِلَـٰلٍ” is translated as being “in shade”. What is that “shade” for me? One scholar (Razi) beautifully explains this as feeling protected under the “shade” which is human inner fulfillment and peace of mind. The physical example of the one who is under the blazing sun finds protection and comfort in the “shade”. The Qur’an gives examples from this world so that I can transfer this to the understanding of the unimaginable next creation. How do I understand this verse describing Paradise? The explanation from Razi describing having inner comfort, fulfillment and peace of mind makes perfect sense.