Session 30 Notes
Another definition of the Qur’an is that it is a book of thought and wisdom. While engaging with the Qur’an as the reader, I must pay attention to all these different aspects at the same time. We are expected to reflect on the verses we encounter. Let’s see what some scholars have mentioned regarding the importance of reflection.
“Reflection (tafakkur) is a great act of worship. Ibn al-Qasim reported from Malik – may God have mercy on him – in Jami al-Utbiyya: It was asked to Umm al-Darda, ‘What was the main occupation of Abu al-Darda?’ She replied that most of his occupation was reflection. She was then asked: ‘Do you consider reflection to be one of the deeds?’ She replied, ‘Yes, it is certainty (اليقين”) (ibn ‘Ashur, Al-Tahrir wa Al-Tanvir, Vol 4, 407, 4,197)
Everyone wants to be certain about the truth. Only by reflecting on creation and the Qur’anic verse, can one achieve certainty.
A famous saying accepted by early scholars like As-Suyuti and Al-Aljuni: تفكر ساعة خير من عبادة سنة
“An hour of reflection is better than a year of worship.”
Here, they emphasize the heavy weight reflection carries when it comes to worship of God. They highlight the immense weight of reflection in worship. It suggests that a single moment of reflection is superior to a whole year of thoughtless worship. By reflecting on the Qur’an and the universe, we move beyond mere ritual. Questioning and pondering creation brings us to a level of certainty that elevates our belief.
Ihya Ulum-al-Din, especially in Kitab al-Tafakkur, Al-Ghazali: التَّفَكُّرُ مِفْتَاحُ الْأَنْوَارِ وَبِدَايَةُ الْبَصِيرَةِ “Reflection is the key to lights and the beginning of inner seeing”
The “key to lights” means that reflection takes one out of darkness and gives meaning to their life. The phrase “inner seeing” is the insight one gets by seeing the reality of their existence. In whatever we are doing, we can reflect on it. For example, while washing dishes, I can recognize the quality of cleaning, removing dirt, etc. In the event of rain I understand that the rain is employed to do cleaning of the earth as well. Everything is created clean in the universe.
Another example of our daily routine is brushing our teeth. There are about 72 hadith narrations encouraging us to brush our teeth. If I reflect on this act of physically cleaning teeth which is an outer part, I should wonder who is cleaning my internals, my liver, eyes, digestive system, etc. Imagine if all this cleaning of intestines is left to us, what a nightmare of impossibility that would be. Reflection always goes into wisdom so in this example the wisdom in what the practice of the prophet (pbuh) teaches us. By cleaning my teeth, I would exclaim: “Thank God, for all that you are doing for me. If I was left to clean this digestive system of mine, I would be unable to do it and unable to live like this.” The brushing and cleaning of teeth is just the reminder of God being the Cleaner, “Al-Quddus”. Consider how cleansing is done in the creation of plants that come out of dirty earth, fruits and vegetables perfectly cleansed from the dirt. The sky above us is cleansed with many processes happening in the atmosphere.
Historically, the prophet (pbuh) worked as a shepherd when he was a young man he must have been deeply reflecting on the creation of everything. Being a shepherd allowed him to utilize his human side to reflect on creation directly without the hindrance of artificial elements that most of us are now distracted by. It can be understood that these reflections brought him to Mount Hira.
Said Nursi has a book of prayers called “Hizbu Anwari Haqaiqu al-Nuriyah” known as “Jawshan al-Kabir”. The below excerpt from one of his books guides us on how to reflect on “la ilaha illallah” (لا إله إلا الله), a conclusion which is the true foundation and representation of Islam. How do I arrive at this conclusion? The answer from Nursi is that God is the Creator of all things. However, how does He do all that I am experiencing, how are the things brought into existence and realized?
“There is no deity but God (لا إله إلا الله), the Creator of all things: in absolute multiplicity together with perfect order, in absolute speed together with absolute balance, in absolute vastness together with absolute harmony, in absolute intermixture together with absolute distinction, in absolute abundance and bestowal, together with the exaltation of value. These qualities by their very reality, point self-evidently to the absolute unity of their Creator.” (Nursi, Khulastu’l khulasa, Section 30)
“In absolute multiplicity together with perfect order”: When we look at created beings, biologists say there are more than 7 million living animal species in the world, some still not yet described and cataloged. There are over 17,000 known varieties of butterflies, over 15,000 varieties of ants that exist. None of these species is lacking perfection. How about the different stars and galaxies? The amazing thing is that the multiplicity where all species are different come into existence perfectly functioning, without needing to evolve further. There is no confusion among them. In this multiplicity we cannot get to the end of these created beings, that is why “absolute multiplicity together with perfect order”. This is the sign that the source of existence must be an Absolute Being.
“In absolute speed together with absolute balance”: The creation takes place at such a speed that even the speed of light is considered very slow. This fact that we cannot measure the speed of creation proves that the source of existence must be an Absolute Being.That is why we human beings trust the creation and make our modern tools and systems and they work. All beings including particles are created continuously and yet nothing hinders the other, a balance is maintained. The speed of creation is infinite as it comes from the Infinite Source. With this infinite change happening, we physically observe something solid. No one can measure the speed of change happening in the universe, it is impossible. With the continuous change, there is also balance. Can any physical matter or energy, any part of this universe itself realize this continuous change and balance? The absolute speed with absolute balance in creation can only be realized by the Absolute Source.
“Absolute vastness together with absolute harmony”: Human beings are trying to reach the end of the universe but it is never ending. Lately, some scientists discovered that the universe keeps expanding or stretching as they observe it. But the Qur’an already declared this this in verses where you try to reach the end of creation but you cannot some 1450 years ago: وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـٰهَا بِأَيْي۟دٍۢ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ , “We created the universe with such Might (of Ours) and It is Us who are expanding it” (51:47). All these changes happen in absolute harmony where the order is arranged in such a way that it perfectly functions and does not change. The universe represents “la ilaha” where it has no absolute qualities such as power, knowledge, will, etc. to expand itself with harmony.
“Absolute intermixture together with absolute distinction”: Everything is interacting with each other such as electrons interacting with each other in spacetime with no limitations. Although things interact with each other, every being is distinct from the other. Any part of this universe itself cannot in any way realize all this.
“Absolute abundance and bestowal together with the exaltation of value”: There is an abundance of created beings observed, they are all freely created. Each particle has its unique value within the abundance of the other particles.
All these qualities necessitate the Absolute Creator which is the message of “la ilaha illallah” brought to us by prophet Muhammad (pbuh). We usually just jump to the conclusion of God, “illallah” without going through reflection of “la ilaha”. May God forgive us for not appreciating the value of creation of whatever we enjoy, from our breathing to our eating while living in this world.
A hadith narration:
Shuja ibn Ashras narrated to us: Hashraj ibn Nubata al-Wasiti, Abu-Makram narrated to us – from al-Kalbi, who is Abu Janab – from Ata, who said:
“I set out together with Ibn Umar and Ubayd ibn Umayr to visit A’ishah (may God be pleased with her). We entered upon her, and there was a curtain between us and her. She said, ‘O Ubayd, what prevents you from visiting us?’ He replied: ‘the poet’s saying: Visit occasionally and your love will increase.’
Then ibn-Umar said, ‘leave that aside – tell us about the most remarkable thing you witnessed from the Messenger of God (pbuh).
She wept and said, “all of his affairs are remarkable. One night he came to me until his skin touched mine. Then he said, ‘Leave me so that I may worship my Lord, the Mighty and Majestic.’”
She said, “I replied ‘By God, I love your closeness and I also love that you worship your Lord.” So he rose to the water-skin, performed ablution without using much water, then stood in prayer. He wept until his beard became wet. Then he prostrated and wept until the ground became wet. Then he lay on his side and wept until Bilal came to inform him of the dawn prayer.
She said, “He (Bilal) said: ‘O Messenger of God, why do you weep when God has forgiven your past and future sins.? He replied, “Woe to you, O’ Bilal! And what would prevent me from weeping when this has been revealed to me tonight: “Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, are signs for those of understanding.” (3:191)
Then he (pbuh) said: “Woe to the one who recites it and does not reflect upon it.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 2, 137-138, 2:166)
We see here the friendly relationships of the companions of the prophet (pbuh), their friendly way of communicating with each other. For example, the wife of the prophet (pbuh) does not reply rudely but in a friendly way asks what prevents them from visiting from time to time. This is a very human way which we should appreciate and learn. Another interesting point is that the prophet (pbuh) is taking permission from his wife to go and worship God. This is a practice of the prophet (pbuh) which we may ignore among many others. Unfortunately, many are uninformed about the rights of women in Islam.
We again see the friendly relationships in how Bilal is comfortably informing the prophet (pbuh) that it is time for dawn prayers. When asked about his weeping, the prophet (pbuh) narrates what he received in Revelation and makes the powerful statement about reflecting on the verse: “In the creation of the heavens and earth, alternation of the night and the day, are signs for those of understanding”. (3:191)