Wednesday, February 28, 2024

What’s The Truth? الحَقّ

We know that the word حَقّ appears more than two hundred times in the Quran, and the majority of the time, it's related to the meaning of "truth," primarily referring to the Quran, Allah’s word, and the messengers. Additionally, Allah is also referred to as “The Truth,” اُلْحَقُّ. So it’s easy to understand the meaning of truth from that perspective. Many other times, it also refers to the words for justice and obligation, which are all clear to us. If you go for linguistic meaning of it, it’s defined as: Fact or trueness or the state of being true. - reality; rightness; truth; certitude; certainty; correctness.
(https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/الحق/)

Interestingly enough, Allah has also used the same word when describing His creation, such as the Sun, earth, heavens, universe, etc., with the same word. What does it truly mean when Allah says that He has created the Earth and Universe in “الحق” - with Truth? 

Before I leave you for your own research, let’s share some facts about our solar system and the universe. If the Sun were smaller or bigger than it is today, we wouldn’t have the solar system that is inhabitable for life on earth. If the Earth were smaller or larger than it is today, then we wouldn’t have life on Earth as we see it now. We wouldn’t have life on Earth if the Earth were closer to or further away from the Sun, or if the size of the orbit or the placement of Earth compared to Jupiter and Saturn were different, or even if the speed of other galaxies or stars were different. There are 5 constants in the universe that have to be just the exact values that they have now, and if they were different, then we wouldn’t have a universe that's livable for us. What are those?


1. Gravitational constant (G)

2. Planck constant (h)

3. Speed of light in a vacuum (c)

4. Fine-structure constant (α)

5. Cosmological constant (Λ)


Those five constants are often referred to as needing precise values for Earth to be habitable: 


So essentially, we are in the universe, solar system, and on a planet that’s created just right for us. Not with more or not with less than what we need. Doesn’t it give you goosebumps?


Now when I go back to the Quran again, as Allah said many times in it that the Quran is the Truth, then I take it as - the Quran has the truth that’s just right for us - no more or no less. It’s the source of our guidance that’s stated in the beginning of the Quran:


Al-Baqarah 2:2


ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَۛ فِيهِۛ هُدًى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ


“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah -“


The signs are everywhere if we just care to see.


Isn’t it giving you now a much broader meaning than we are typically used to?


Let’s now read some of the ayat so that you can indulge in the beauty and magnificence of the Quran, the Truth."


Al-Baqarah 2:176

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ نَزَّلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِى ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لَفِى شِقَاقٍۢ بَعِيدٍ


“That is [deserved by them] because Allah has sent down the Book in truth. And indeed, those who differ over the Book are in extreme dissension.”


Al-An'am 6:73

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ وَيَوۡمَ يَقُولُ كُن فَيَكُونُۚ قَوۡلُهُ ٱلۡحَقُّۚ وَلَهُ ٱلۡمُلۡكُ يَوۡمَ يُنفَخُ فِى ٱلصُّورِۚ عَٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٱلۡخَبِيرُ


“And it is He who created the heavens and earth in truth. And the day He says, "Be," and it is, His word is the truth. And His is the dominion [on] the Day the Horn is blown. [He is] Knower of the unseen and the witnessed; and He is the Wise, the Acquainted.”


Al-An'am 6:141

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَ جَنَّٰتٍ مَّعۡرُوشَٰتٍ وَغَيۡرَ مَعۡرُوشَٰتٍ وَٱلنَّخۡلَ وَٱلزَّرۡعَ مُخۡتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُۥ وَٱلزَّيۡتُونَ وَٱلرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَٰبِهًا وَغَيۡرَ مُتَشَٰبِهٍۚ كُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦٓ إِذَآ أَثۡمَرَ وَءَاتُواْ حَقَّهُۥ يَوۡمَ حَصَادِهِۦۖ وَلَا تُسۡرِفُوٓا۟ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ


“And He it is who causes gardens to grow, [both] trellised and untrellised, and palm trees and crops of different [kinds of] food and olives and pomegranates, similar and dissimilar. Eat of [each of] its fruit when it yields and give its due [zakah] on the day of its harvest. And be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.”


Al-A'raf 7:8

وَٱلۡوَزۡنُ يَوۡمَئِذٍ ٱلۡحَقُّۚ فَمَن ثَقُلَتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ


“And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy -  it is they who will be the successful.”


Yunus 10:5

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ ضِيَآءً وَٱلۡقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُۥ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعۡلَمُواْ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلۡحِسَابَۚ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ يَعۡلَمُونَ


“It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a derived light and determined for it phases - that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allah has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know.”


Al-Hijr 15:85

وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ لَأٓتِيَةٌۖ فَٱصۡفَحِ ٱلصَّفۡحَ ٱلۡجَمِيلَ


“And We have not created the heavens and earth and that between them except in truth. And indeed, the Hour is coming; so forgive with gracious forgiveness.”


An-Nahl 16:102

قُلۡ نَزَّلَهُۥ رُوحُ ٱلۡقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَهُدًى وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ


“Say, [O Muhammad], "The Pure Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth to make firm those who believe and as guidance and good tidings to the Muslims."”


Az-Zumar 39:5

خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ يُكَوِّرُ ٱلَّيۡلَ عَلَى ٱلنَّهَارِ وَيُكَوِّرُ ٱلنَّهَارَ عَلَى ٱلَّيۡلِۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ كُلٌّ يَجۡرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّىۗ أَلَا هُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡغَفَّٰرُ


“He created the heavens and earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. Unquestionably, He is the Exalted in Might, the Perpetual Forgiver.”


Ash-Shura 42:17

ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَۗ وَمَا يُدۡرِيكَ لَعَلَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَرِيبٌ


“It is Allah who has sent down the Book in truth and [also] the balance. And what will make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour is near.”


Finally, the Surah Al-Haqqah covers the ultimate “truth” of this life and that hereafter. The entire surah covers it with examples including what happens when we follow the truth or when someone denies that truth.


Al-Haqqah 69:2

مَا ٱلۡحَآقَّةُ


“What is the Inevitable Reality?”


Al-Haqqah 69:51

وَإِنَّهُۥ لَحَقُّ ٱلۡيَقِينِ


“And indeed, it is the truth of certainty.”

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Let loose your imagination


How can I understand the long life of a human, say, of a hundred years,

When I haven't lived through that long life yet?

How can I experience the vastness of the earth,

With the depth of its oceans and the spread of its lands,

When I haven't traveled to every corner of the earth?

How can I perceive the largeness of the solar system,

When we haven't figured out how to send life to our neighboring planet?

How can we grasp the majestic beauty of our galaxy, the Milky Way,

With billions of stars and planets,

When my eyes aren't even capable of seeing its entirety?

How can I distinguish our galaxy from other galaxies, counted in billions,

When the light from those unrevealed galaxies hasn't touched me yet?

How can we even comprehend this universe, with billions of galaxies ingrained in it,

When the reckoning of the galaxies is even unfathomable?

The more I strive to sense this very existence with finite human words, the more I feel lost to grasp the infinite greatness of it.

You don’t grab a snowflake to feel it!

The very existence of us will destroy the existence of that delicacy.

It's all about letting your imagination loose and

Indulging in the unrevealed greatness of the majestic mystery!

—————————————
Written on 3 March 2017

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Surah Yusuf in a freezing morning


These were captured from my Fajr walk with Quran. One hour walk on a freezing morning while listening the amazing story of the surah Yusuf.

It’s a story of rivalry, betrayal, evil, thriller, love, upright character, perseverance, suffering, hope, forgiveness, payback, repentance and finally, happily ever after!

Most importantly surah Ysusf’s story is full of all kinds of lessons that transcends the time, space and cultures. It’s an all-time storytelling for humanity. Each and every ayah of the surah brings forth trove of lessons to learn. 

Alhamdulillah.

Note: it was really cold and freezing in the morning. The rocks in the lake are frozen with ice!



Tuesday, February 20, 2024

لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِيْ الدِّيْنِ

We know that Islam has forbidden compulsion in religion. Most of us know that aya - لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِيْ الدِّيْنِ  But very few of us know these two ayat, where Allah told prophet Muhammad (sw) that Allah didn’t forced all human to believe in one God so the prophet (sw) is not in the position either to compel others as the guidance is from Allah alone and whoever doesn’t use reason Allah won’t guide them. What a beautiful religion Islam is! Allahu Akbar!


Sunday, February 18, 2024

Educate and stand against genocide- even if one person at a time

Today I was in this H Mart grocery store to buy some fish and grocery. In their fruit section, they are selling these Israeli fruit.

I took this picture and went to the customer service. I failed to explain the young lady at the counter that why selling Israeli product is helping the genocide. She has no clue about what’s going on in the Middle East. A regular, unaware of the world, person. 

Then came the manager. She seems to have some knowledge on what’s going on in that part of the world. 

I explained her that Israel is committing genocide in Palestine and has killed 28,000+ human lives including 11,500+ children in 4 months. So they shouldn’t support Israel by selling their product that strengthens their economy to bomb more children. 

Her initial reply was- “that should be American government’s concern and as a grocery store, what can I do? It won’t make much impact”. 

I agreed with her that we can’t stop the genocide alone. I further explained her that as a human being and as a parent, how would she feel if that was her child being bombed indiscriminately and massacred. I showed her a news article on genocide from my phone. Then I reminded her the analogy of the Vietnam war and asked her if she would be complicit to the killing of innocent Vietnamese in 1960s. She agreed that she wouldn’t support that. 

Then I asked her if she can at least talk to their Headoffice to stop selling Israeli product in their store.

I finally told her that I like coming to H Mart but when I see the store that I shop sells product from the country that’s engaging in an ongoing genocide, that may force me to change my mind. 

She assured me that she will talk to their headoffice about this product if they can do anything. 

Even if nothing comes out from this effort but at the very least they are now better educated about the truth about Israel’s genocidal act in Palestine. While we do all other big ticket items to stand for justice, we also need to educate individuals surrounding us on apartheid Israel’s act of genocide to change the public opinion. One day Palestine will be free, InshaAllah. Every effort counts.

Request to you all: please do not remain silent or complicit to the ongoing genocide. You may or may not be able to change it alone but if you stand for justice then at least you can be on the side of the solution - not on the side of problem.