BOOK SYNOPSIS
Far Beyond My Comprehension1
Mohammed Siraj Uddin
"The Originator of the heavens and the earth. And when He decrees a thing to be He but says to it "Kun" or "Be" and it is." [Sûrah Al-Baqarah, 2:117]
Creation begins with Allah's Decree "Kun".
The word "Be" is the Command of Allah's Intention. With the Command, inert material, without life, comes into existence. In the language of the Holy Qur'an, the existence in this lifless or inert state is a "state of death". AllahSWT creates living objects from this inert material by giving life (Hayath). After a certain period, according to His Universal Plan, He takes that life away, causing the living to return to the lifeless state again (the second death):
"How can you cover up [the Truth] about Allah when you were dead and He made you alive? Then He will make you dead, then make you alive [again], then to Him you shall return." [Sûrah Al-Baqarah, 2:28]
This phenomenon of "Death to Life to Death" constitutes a cycle.
Human being passes through two such cycles, "twice death and twice life", and no death after Resurrection that makes our life an endless Journey. In the first phase, our worldly life begins with lifeless state, and ends in death, leading to the "state of sleep" in Barzakh (Interregnum)
Second phase begins with life coming back to the "sleepy state" in Barzakh leading to Resurrection, ushering in the Endless Eternal Life:
"They will say, "Our Lord, You have made us die twice and made up live twice, and we have now confessed our sins, so is there any way out [of the punishment]?" [Sûrah Ghâfir, 40:11]
The worldly phase of our life is only an infinitesimal part of the Eternal life. Nonetheless it is an extremely important period as it constitutes the probationary term for preparation for the "Eternal Journey".
Our life-Journey is a lonely journey; it had started in Paradise with the creation of our father AdamAS and mother Hawwa. After a short stay in Paradise, they were sent down to the earth for Adam to fulfill mission of Allah's Khalifah and for their children to inherit the earth.
Adam AS and his progeny were given the best of physical and spiritual faculties to live the life of Khalifah, and the earth and its environment were enriched to support their life. They were told to live, propagate and die on earth until their Final Return, and were admonished to follow the Guidance for "Safe Return" back to AllahSWT.
The "Safe Return" entails knowing the Creator and worshipping Him. The narrative of the creation and its Creator is provided in the Holy Qur'an. The universe and its design are the proofs of Allah's Creative Power, and its perpetual existence are the signs of His Benevolence. AllahSWT has countless Attributes which are manifested in the creations (the Signs). Therefore, the seeker of Divine Providence must contemplation in the Verses of the Holy Qur'an to know Him. In fact, the sole purpose behind our creation is to find Him through contemplation:
"And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)" [Sûrah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56]
"(This is) a Book (the Qur'an) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder, and that men of understanding may remember." [Sûrah Al- Ṣâd, 38:29]
Our life on earth is a trial, fraught with challenges. These challenges come from within and from the environment that we live in. However, the sorrow and suffering in adversity, if taken the right way, may turn out to be the best gift because it teaches us humility and submission to AllahSWT seeking His help:
"Verily, We have sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O MuhammadSAW). And We seize them with extreme poverty and loss in health, so that they might humble themselves (believe in humility)" [Sûrah Al-An'am, 6:42]
on the other hand, in facing these challenges one finds the strength and weaknesses, in striving he finds out his inner potentials and qualities that made him superior to other creations. It is our action and its quality that will set us apart in the Sight of AllahSWT:
"Who has created death and life in order to test which of you is best in [your] actions; and He is the Mighty, the Ever-Forgiving... "[Sûrah Al-Mulk, 67:2]
"Verily! That which is on earth, We have made, but as an adornment for it, in order that We may test them (mankind) as to which of them are best in deeds" [Sûrah Al-Kahf, 18:7]
The worldly life — birth to death is a journey on a fixed time line, the end of it is known only to AllahSWT. As we travel, we collect our actions: good or bad, acquire wealth and enjoy the company of expanded family and friends. In our daily life our actions are recorded by the Scribes, the "Kiraman Katibin". Whether living in luxury or misery, in solitude or in company, at the end of the day, it is the individual alone and none else, is responsible for his action, and at the end of life, he alone will face the death, and on revival he alone will be asked to account for the actions he had sent forth. The dogma is "No one will bear the burden of the other":
"That no bearer of burdens shall bear another's burdens and that nothing shall be accounted to a person but what he strove for — and that his effort shall be seen. [Sûrah Al-Najm, 53: 38-40]
"And no bearer of burdens shall bear shall bear another's burden; and if one heavily laden, calls another to (bear) his load, nothing of its will be lifted, even though he be near of kin..." [Sûrah Al-Fatir, 35:18]
Thus, in terms of spiritual life, we are born alone, walk alone, die alone, resurrected alone, and bear the burden alone, making Life indeed a lonely journey:
"Your creation and your resurrection [from the dead] are only like [that of] a single person. Surely Allah is Hearing, Seeing. [Sûrah Al-Luqmân, 31:28]
Appearance of men in the realm of creation is a relatively late phenomenon. He has been created after the creation of Angels and Jinn, and much after the creation of the Heavens and the earth. He has been created differently from all other creations, both in physical frame and spiritual attributes, to be able to master all other creations:
"...truly We created the human being in the best form." [Sûrah Al-Tîn 95:4]
AllahSWT created the physical mold of Adam from clay and perfected his shape with His Two Hands. His perfect physical mold gives man his beauty, symmetry and balance:
[Allah] said, "Oh Iblis. What prevents you from prostrating before that which I have created by Both My Hands? Are you too proud, or are you from the high ones?" [Sûrah Al-Ṣâd 38:75]
"O man! What has made you careless about your Lord, the Most Generous? Who created you, fashioned you perfectly, and gave you due proportion." [Sûrah Al-Infitar 82:6-7]
Adam's spiritual mold was created by blowing rûḥ into him. His progenies are given rûḥ while they are in their mothers' womb. It is rûḥ that is at the source of all other spiritual qualities of human being. AllahSWT also gave him knowledge about all creations by direct teaching. It is this spiritual transformation and acquisition of knowledge that made him deserving the respect of other creations:
"And so, when I have fashioned him and breathed into him from My Spirit [rûḥ], then fall down before him—prostrate." [Sûrah Al- Ṣâd, 38:72]
And He taught 'Âdam the Names—all of them, and then made them visible before the angels and said, "Tell me the names of these if you are truthful." [Sûrah Al-Baqarah, 2:31]
The physical growth of the human embryo is directed by the human genome, DNA, inherited from AdamAS. It shares the similarity in embryonic development in early weeks of life with other vertebrates, but starts to be different at the end of the third forty-day period or the end of the fourth month of embryonic gestation when the rûḥ is blown into the embryo (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 4, Hadith No.549). The Holy Qur'an refers to this human fetus as the Khalqan Akhar, the "other creation":
"Then We made the drop of sperm into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a shapeless lump; then We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh—and then We brought [all of this into being as] another creature. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators." [Sûrah Al-Mu'minûn, 23:14]
"Then He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him the rûḥ from His Spirit (created that person) and He gave you hearing, sight and hearts. Little is the thanks that you give!" [Sûrah As-Sajdah, 32:9]
With the entry of rûḥ, the sensory faculties acquire the quality of perception and interpretation of sensory impulses, necessary for human being to be intellectually superior to other creations. The rûḥ coming directly from AllahSWT gives him his Monotheistic nature and other human qualities:
"So, O Muhammad, set your face towards the Religion (of pure Islamic Monotheism) Hanif. Allah's Fitrah with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Khalq-illah: that is the straight religion, but most men know not." [Sûrah Ar-Rum, 30:30]
Human being may be viewed as a composite of the physical body and an inner-self; the body being the vehicle for the inner-self. The inner-self, in turn, is composed of invisible entities like the the Rûḥ [Spirit], the Nafs [Soul], the Qalb [spiritual heart], the Nasyyia (Mind), and a Free Will. Each one of these entities —as well as the invisible forces like Angels and Jinn, and the environment we live in— plays an important role in our everyday life.
The functional representation of a complete human being is the mind, which in turn represents the functional aspect of our brain. The human mind does not work alone, but rather works in conjunction with the heart, the soul, and the free will. From a neuro-scientific point of view, the human brain receives and processes information [sensory impulses], and the mind works with that information to plan and decide, and then directs the brain to execute the decision. Because of its decision-making authority, it will be held responsible for all our actions:
"The Mujrimun (the sinners) will be known by their marks (black faces) and will be seized by their Nawas (forelocks) and feet." [Sûrah Ar-Rahman, 55:41)
In the world of spirituality, the spiritual heart or Qalb has a special place. Qalb is the site of inspiration, faith, peace, guidance and wisdom. The use of the word "Qalb" in the Qur'an and Hadith primarily conveys a spiritual meaning. The Holy Qur'an attributes the faculty of understanding and seeing to the spiritual heart.:
Have they not traveled in the land, and do they not have hearts with which to understand, or ears with which to hear? For surely eyes do not become blind, but it is the hearts in the breasts that grow blind. [Sûrah Al-Ḥajj, 22:46]
The Qalb also perceives emotions. It directs the brain to express the signs of happiness or sadness, comfort or discomfort, and love or hate, through touch, smile, tears and facial expressions.
Hearts [qulûb] that day shall throb and their eyes shall be downcast. [Sûrah Al-Nâzi'ât, 79:8-9]
Qur'an also refers to the Qalb of the sinners to be covered with rust, and hypocrisy sealing up the Qalb, but no such effect on the physical heart is seen. Therefore, Translating Qalb into "physical heart" obscures its spiritual attributes:
"Nay! But on their Qulub (hearts) is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn" [Sûrah Al-Mutaffifin, 83:14]
This is because they believed, then covered up [the Truth], and thus a seal [has been placed] on their hearts and they do not understand. [Sûrah Al-Munâfiqûn, 63:3]
Fu'âd, is the special attribute of the Qalb. It is coined the "Little Brain" because it separates the truth from falsehood:
His heart [fu'âd] did not lie [about] what he saw. [Sûrah Al-Najm, 53:11]
The Soul [Nafs] looks after our physical and mental needs, wishes and desires. The soul is the driving force behind our actions and operations. It works with free will on our mind; while soul make suggestion to our mind to act on our wish and need, the free will allows the mind flexibility in decision-making and the Qalb leads the brain to the truth.
Creation is the Decree of AllahSWT. It is a manifestation of Allah's Wish. Allah has also prescribed a will for man that gives him limited freedom to choose and act. Allah does not interfere with human will. When man exercises his will that follows Divine Will (Legislation), Allah is pleased with the action and accepts it. On the other hand, when man does anything according to man-made rule that does not conform to Divine Rule, Allah is displeased with it and does not accept it. It becomes a waste:
"...to whoever wills to walk straight. And you shall not will except that Allah wills — Lord of All the Worlds." [Sûrah Al-Takwîr, 81:28-29]
Divine Decree governs the creation at realms far beyond human reach. It applies to the knowledge of the Hour (Resurrection), creation in mother's womb (in the depth of darkness), the control of weather, the sustenance, and time and place of death:
Truly with Allah is knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the drenching rain and He knows what is in the wombs. And no one knows what [he or she] will earn tomorrow, and no one knows in what land they will die. Surely Allah is Knowing, Aware. [Sûrah Al-Luqmân, 31:34]
Beside the Decree of creation (Qadha), there is the "Doctrine of due Proportion" (Qadr). In every unit of creation, the Doctrine of Al-Qadha Wa Al-Qadr work simultaneously:
"He to whom belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. ... He has created everything and has measured it exactly accoring to its due measurement." [Sûrah Al-Furqân, 25:2]
"Surely We have created everything to measure." [Sûrah Al-Qamar, 54:49]
Once creation comes into existence, it must follow a set of rules instilled into it by Divine Inspiration. Creation in due proportion and the submission to Divine Rule allows universal peace and tranquility:
"And He decreed that there be seven heavens in two æons and ordained in each heaven its [unique] law. And We adorned the heavens of the world with lamps and protected it. That is the decree of the Mighty, the Knower." [Sûrah Al-Fuṣṣilât, 41:12]
"...Who created and proportioned, and Who measures and guides... " [Sûrah Al-'A'lâ, 87:2-3]
Allah's Qadha Wa Al-Qadr about His creations were recorded in the Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz, which was written fifty thousand years before the creation came into existence. It pre-recorded the future course of actions of all creations, before it happened; it is the pre-recording of future events, as dictated to the Pen, from the Eternal Knowledge of AllahSWT. He is the Knower of all, irrespective of the tense of time and place:
"...He knows what happens to them (the creations) in this world and what will happen to them in the Hereafter..." [Sûrah Al-Baqarah, 2:255]
He is Allah, other than Whom, there is no god but Him, Knower of the Unseen and the Seen. He is the Universally Merciful, the Singularly Compassionate. [Sûrah Al-Ḥashr, 59:22]
Allah's Glory, Omniscience and Omnipotence are manifested in the design of the universe and in everything it contains. His greatness and infinitude are such that He can create and cherish not only a whole mass, but each individual soul and can follow its history and doings until the final judgement:
Your creation and your resurrection [from the dead] are only like [that of] a single soul. Surely Allah is Hearing, Seeing. [Sûrah Al-Luqmân,-31:28]
One part of that design is that ever since creation, the universe is in constant motion and constant expansion, but we hardly ever feel any impact of that motion or expansion; our position remains constant in relation to our environment. That is because of a balanced gravitation force acting uniformly on all elements. Allah created the universe and filled it with matters and created gravitational force between them to establish the balance in the universe and anchored us to the surface of the earth so that neither we are not sucked in the earth nor we fly out into the space:
"Verily! Allah grasp the heavens and the earth lest they will move away from their places..." { Sûrah Fatir, 35:41]
Then there are revolving (1,000 miles/h) and rotational speeds (67,000 miles/h), that makes the planet earth revolve on own axis and rotate on its orbit around a much larger mass, the sun to create the sense of diurnal, monthly, and yearly timing. Yet we never feel the impact of these speeds:
"It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course" [Sûrah Al-Ambiya, 21:33]
The concept of time, speed and space vary according to the plane of existence, from planet to planet and from creation to creation. Our concept of time derives from the rotation of the earth around the sun and the rotation of the moon around the earth.
At the beginning of creation, when the earth and the heavens came into existence, they were joined to each other; and the heavens existing in the form of cloud (41:1). Then they were separated. And since the beginning of separation, the expansion has continued:
"Do not those who cover up [the Truth] see that the heavens and the earth were of one piece and We parted them, and that We made every living being out of water? Will they then no believe?" [Sûrah Al-'Anbiyâ', 21:30]
"And the sky — We built it with [Our] power and We are its expander." [Sûrah Al-Dhâriyât, 51:47]
The Big Bang theory supports the Qur'anic Revelation. It postulates that all the material of the universe was confined to a point, called the "point Zero", it rested at "Zero time". Then it exploded with a tremendous force scattering the materials. The force of that explosion continues to expand the sphere. The instant when the separation began is considered the "beginning of time". Since then, the separation continues and the space continues to expand into the void. The speed of separation is beyond human perception (It is 68 kilometers per second per megaparsec. One megapersec is 1 million persec, which is 3.26 million light-years!):
Per special theory of relativity, the highest speed known to science is that of light, which is matter transformed into energy. Gravity works through the space fabric, the cosmic plasma, mentioned in the Qur'an as "what is in between."
And We indeed created the heavens and the earth and everything between them in six cycles of time, and no weariness touched Us. [Sûrah Al-Qâf, 50:38]
The measure of time and space differs in the case of metaphysical entities:
like Divine Command,
He arranges [all] the orders from the heavens to the earth, and in the end all shall ascend to Him on a Day the length of which will be [like] a thousand years of those you count. [Sûrah Al-Sajdah, 32:5]
like Angels and the Rûḥ
The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a Day the length of which is fifty thousand years. [Sûrah Al-Ma'ârij, 70:4]
and like the Jinn [Ifrit]
An 'ifrît from among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you get up from your place. Truly I am strong and trustworthy for this [task]!" [Sûrah Al-Naml, 27:39]
When an object travels at the speed of light, it contracts in size, that is, it "dilates" according to Einstein, meaning it covers more distance in a shorter period of time, relative to an object traveling at lesser speed. At higher speeds, an object may lose its physical characteristics and travel at the speed of light or faster, making the travel time extremely short for a given distance. In the realm of the Creator, the concept of time, space, and speed is totally beyond our comprehension, as in the Divine expression: "The Decision of the Hour is like the twinkling of the eye or shorter…":
And to Allah [belong the] unseen [dimensions of] the heavens and the earth. And the command for the Hour is nothing but the twinkling of an eye or closer. Surely Allah has power over all things. [Sûrah Al-Naḥl, 16:77]
In conclusion, the book "Far Beyond My Comprehension" has attempted to reach to knowledge beyond ordinary perception. It has elaborated on the creation, Allah's Creating Power, His Qadha Wa Al-Qadr, His Eternal Knowledge and Pre-recording of future events.
It has addressed man's life, his accountability, his status, and his perennial journey towards Eternity. In describing man as Allah's best creation, it has highlighted man's inner potentials given to him as gifts. He has been exhorted to explore those qualities to know himself and his status among other creations.
It has addressed the environment that men live in, full of entities visible and invisible, to understand how the environment influences our daily life.
And finally, it addressed our existence in relation to time, space and speed to show that these entities are not constant, but can differ from place to place, creation to creation.
Thus "Far Beyond My Comprehension" is all about man, his inner-self, his Creator, and the environment he lives in. The purpose is to bring man face to face with his inner-self, so that he can guide himself on a Path that leads to his Creator.
1 The full-length book by Dr. Mohammed Siraj Uddin, MD, FACG, FACP, Far Beyond My Comprehension, 2015, is available in paperback and Kindle editions. A preview can be seen at:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UUN1Y16?ref_=k4w_embed_dp_ea&tag=bing08-20&linkCode=kpp
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