Article appeared Friday, October 19th, 2018 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (544) yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Do we take time out to think about who God is? What could it mean to think about Him? For
example, do we think of what kind of power He has? If He has created everything in the
universe, is there anything He cannot do? Again, for example, what could He possibly do if we
displeased Him? Should we fear Him because of this? And therefore should we seek
forgiveness for our sins? God reminds us of the need to think about Him in the Holy Scripture,
the Al-Qur’an.
“No just estimate have they made of God: for God is He Who is strong and able to carry
out His Will” [22.74]

God can do whatever He wishes. In contrast, can we do what we wish? In the Al-Qur’an, God
furnishes a comparison. If we feel that anything other than God has power, the following
analogy is to be applied.
“O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Those you invoke besides God
cannot create (even) a fly if they all met together for the purpose! And if the fly should
snatch away any (tiny) thing from them, they would have no power to recover it from the
fly. Weak are both the pursuer and the pursued!” [22.73]

Also, if we ask the question how did we come into existence and what will happen when we
die?
“It is He Who gave you life will cause you to die and will again give you life: truly man is
a most ungrateful creature!” [22.66]

Our sojourn on earth is therefore temporary; we have been created and initially put on earth to
allow us to demonstrate our response to the gift of an intelligent existence. He constantly
monitors and records our response to Him.
“Do you not realize that God knows all that is in the heavens and on earth? Indeed it is
all in a record and that is easy for God.” [22.70]

What then, should our response to God be? Should we try to work out who He is? Should we
fear Him? He categorically introduces Himself in the following Verse from the Al-Qur’an and tells
us how He communicates with us.
“It was We who revealed the Law (to Moses); in which was guidance and light. The
prophets who submitted (to God) judged by it for the Jews, as did the Rabbis and the
scholars (doctors of Law): for to them was entrusted the protection of God's Scripture
(Book) and they were witnesses to it. Therefore fear not men but fear Me and sell not My
Verses (revealed communication) for a small price (i.e., temporary worldly gain). If any
does not judge by (the light of) what God has revealed – then it is those who are the
disbelievers.” [5.44]

Earlier, before the Al-Qur’an, God revealed the Law (Torah) to Prophet Moses. And now He has
revealed the Al-Qur’an. The Verses are commandments and guidance from God – the One who
has created us and will take our souls upon death. He will again resurrect us to give judgment
on who has been grateful and who has been ungrateful, i.e., who has demonstrated belief
versus who has demonstrated disbelief and has been arrogant. So, we should fear God, in
whose Hands lies all Power and give the revealed Verses due weight. From His Mercy and for
our Guidance, He has sent Angels with His Verses to messengers as chosen by Him.
22.75 “God chooses Messengers from angels and from men: for God is He Who
hears and sees (all things).”
He has sent Guidance because as “created” human beings we need direction – using their
perception humans can guess, but cannot for sure know the purpose of their creation, and more
importantly what will happen if we fail. It is only God who knows what He has kept for us in the
future.

22.76 “He knows what is before them and what is behind them: and to God go
back all questions (for decision).”
Regardless of what we do, or what we think, the final decision in all matters is taken by God, so
we should turn to Him and trust Him in all matters. The following commandment is given to
those who have come to terms with His reality.

22.77 “O you who believe, bow down1; prostrate yourselves and adore your Lord;
and do good; that you may prosper.”
What could do good possibly mean? The following Verse answers this question.

22.78 “And strive in His cause as you ought to strive (with sincerity and under
discipline): He has chosen you and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion;
it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims both
before and in this (Revelation); that the Apostle may be a witness for you and you
be witnesses for mankind! So establish regular Prayer give regular Charity and
hold fast to God! He is your Protector the best to protect and the best to help!”
What could His cause possibly mean? Could it mean to establish His reality, both in our own
hearts and as well as in the hearts of those over whom we have some influence?

To find the ways of Prophet Abraham, we need to study how he did research to find God, and
later took it upon himself to prove His reality and truth to those around him.
“Abraham was indeed a model devoutly obedient to God (and) true in faith and he joined
not gods with God: He showed his gratitude for the favors of God Who chose him and
guided him to a straight way.” [16.120 – 16.121]

During his efforts to prove the reality of God to his father and those around him, he was
persecuted. What did Abraham do? How did the people react? How did God protect him? As an
example,
“(Abraham) said, "Do you then worship besides God things that can neither be of any
good to you nor do you any harm?” [21.66]

Subsequently, when the people threw Abraham into a burning blaze, how did God protect him?
“We said, "O fire! Become cool and (a means of) safety for Abraham!"” [21.69]

The power of created objects is given by God. God simply removed the power of the fire to
burn. The miracle still did not convince the people about the reality of God.
“Then they decided on a plan against him: but We made them the ones that lost the
most!” [21.70]

In turn, how are we responding to God and His revelation?

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{Notes}:
{1} Those who understand need to go down in prostration in adoration of God.