Knowledge in the Qur'an
By definition the core meaning of knowledge is a state of knowing either gained by experience or granted by divinity. Therefore, it seems, at first sight, human beings have two kinds of knowledge, acquired knowledge gained through personal study and trial and error, or bestowed knowledge, imparted by God, known as spiritual knowledge. But taking heart and being confident, the original knowledge, which is the source of all sorts of knowledge, is specific to the Supreme Being. The following revelations, display some different aspects of His knowledge to prove that Supreme Being’s knowledge is beyond our word and mind. At the end of this chapter, if God wills, we will see that the only true available criterion upon which we can, to some extent, recognize Him and His knowledge is to become self-knowledge. Because when we realized that our body as a tiny prototype of the universe works so wonderful, we have to agree that His knowledge and power must be unlimited. It is known that, “Who has recognized himself, has already recognized his Lord.”
من عرف نفسه فقدعرف ربه.
1-And above every possessor of knowledge is One who is the All-Knowing.” 12: 76
وفوق كلٌ ذي علم عليم.
It really means that knowledge is the nature of God, so it does never change, decrease or increase. No matter what would happen, His knowledge is the same at all the time. To know the scope of His knowledge is absolutely out of question. No intelligence can reach the essence of His Greatness, no impression can receive His true nature, and no soul can imagine the meaning of His quality. Simply it can be said, ‘He is Self-sustaining, Self-understanding, eternal God.
2-Say, ‘Can any of your associate guide to the truth? Say, ‘God guides to the truth. Is the one who guides to the truth worthier to be followed or the one who has not been rightly guided unless becomes guided? What is the matter with your judgment?
قل هل من شركائكم من يهدي الي الحق؟ فل الله يهدي للحق. افمن يهدي الي الحق احق ان‘يتبٌع، امن لايهدٌي الاان‘يهدي؟ فمالكم كيف تحكمون؟
Interesting points inserted in this revelation stuffed with good contents would convince us to go a bit further. Human nature and his intelligence command him to follow the truth, see who is telling the truth, investigate who is sincere in his claim, and know what the source of his knowledge is. Should we follow him whose nature is knowledge and His knowledge is not subject of anything else, or we can follow everybody no matter what says?
3-“Whatever you have will deplete and come to an end, but whatever God has last forever.” 16: 96
ماعندكم ينفدوماعندالله باق.
To know how unlimited is the knowledge of God, one should consider this revelation.
“If really all trees on earth were made into pens and the ocean supplied the ink extended by seven more oceans, God’s words would never run out. Indeed, God is Almighty, All-Wise.” 31: 27
ولوانٌ مافي الارض من شجراقلام والبحريمدهٌ من بعده سبعه ابحرمانفدت كلمات الله، انٌ الله عزيزحكيم.
Addressing to the angels, God asked, ‘Didn’t I tell you that I alone know the secret of the heavens and earth as well as what you reveal and what you were concealing? 2:33
قال الم اقل لكم اني اعلم غيب السموات والارض واعلم ما‘تبدون وماكنتم تكتمون؟
In this revelation the Omniscient God has revealed that He is more knowledgeable to us than any other one, because He knows about us from the very beginning to the very end.
“God knows best of you when He created you from the earth and when you were hidden inside of your mothers, thus do not vindicate (Make yourself free from blame), He knows best he who guards himself against evil.” 53: 32
هواعلم بكم اذانشاكم من الارض واذانتم اجنهٌ في بطون امهاتكم،فلا‘تزكٌواانفسكم،هواعلم بمن اتقي.
“The keys to all secrets are with Him. No one knows them but He. He knows what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falls, nor a grain in the depth of the soil grows without His knowledge. And everything dry and wet is inserted in this book.” 6: 59
وعنده مفاتح الغيب،لايعلمهاالاهو،ويعلم مافي البٌروالبحر،وماتسقط من ورقه الايعلمهاولاحبهٌ في ظلمات الارض،ولارطب ولايابس الافي كتاب مبين.
As far as we know no religion other than Islam has put so stress on the issue of knowledge. Most people believe that just scientific knowledge is real knowledge. They should know which knowledge is useful and which one is harmful whether it is the knowledge of science or the knowledge of religion. Again they should consider what kind of knowledge is a real one. And most significantly which knowledge will secure our well-being in this life and the life to come. Could be the knowledge which stimulates diabolic character equal to the one which inspires humanity under the protection of true faith? Is the knowledge which makes atomic bomb to kill millions people equal to the one which revives ethics and morality? That is why, the Prophet of Islam has emphasized that the knowledge of religions and the knowledge of the human bodies lead people to the real truth. Self knowledge or the knowledge of our own nature would direct us to many true facts through which we will be able to recognize God. The more self knowledge will lead to more knowledge about God.
In the second chapter of the book of Genesis of the Old-Testament, the Almighty God has revealed like this, “The Lord God made every tree grow in the Garden of Eden to be pleasant to the sight and be good for food. He planted the tree of life in the middle of the Garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the Garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for the day you eat of it you shall die.”
But in the second chapter of the Qur'an, the Almighty God has revealed this way,
“And God taught Adam the name of all things or all kinds of useful knowledge.” 2: 31
وعلمٌ أدم الاسماء كلهاٌ.
“God taught man what he did not know.” 96: 5
علمٌ الانسان مالم يعلم.
To prove how Islam has valued knowledge over all else, we must bring a few revelations in this regard from the Qur'an, full of wisdom.
1- To protect the property of each country against any invader, its people should mobilize against those who have permeated by force to save the privacy of their own country. While fighting against enemy is so important, more important than that is the study of religion to have more knowledge of it. This is because combatants may forget their religious rites when they were exclusively busy with fighting against enemy. That is why Islam does not urge all people to mobilize for fight, it rather prefers some of each group stay home to improve their knowledge in religion to remind combatants when they came back.
“It is not right that all faithful mobilize at once. A few of each group should stay behind to deeply study in religion to pass their knowledge to combatants when returning to them, in order that they may remain religiously informed.” 9: 122
وماكان المومنون لينفرواكافهٌ، فلولانفرمن كل فرقه منهم طائفه ليتفقهوا في الدين ولينذرواقومهم اذا رجعوااليهم لعلهم يرجعون.
2-The Qur'an teaches the faithful not to resist, oppose or insist on what they have no knowledge. They should accurately listen, appropriately look, and precisely judge what they have heard or seen, because hearing, sight and mind are all responsible for how people use them.
“And do not oppose or insist on what you have no knowledge. Surely, man is absolutely responsible for what he had applied them, so he will be questioned very closely.” 17: 36
ولاتقف ماليس لك به علم، انٌ السمع والبصروالفوأدكل اولئك كان عنه مسئولا.
“On that day we shall seal their mouths. But their hands will speak to Us and their feet will testify for what they were doing.” 36: 65
اليوم نختم علي افواههم و‘تكلمٌنا ايديهم وتشهدارجلهم بماكانوايكسبون.
“This is our record speaking against you with the truth of what you have been doing.” 45: 29
هذاكتابناينطق عليكم بالحق،اناٌكنانستنسخ ماكنتم تعملون.
“No word does he utter unless a supervisor will be ready for it. And when the agony of death takes him, he will be said, ‘This is what you have been trying to avoid.” 50: 18, 19
مايلفظ من قول الالديه رقيب وعتيد. وجائت سكره الموت، ذلك ماكنت منه تحيد.
“You have not been trying to cover yourself, because you didn’t know that your ears, eyes and skins will testify against you. Yet you didn’t believe that God surely knows much of what you do. And this kind of thought about your Lord caused to ruin yourself and become one of losers.” 41: 22, 23
وماكنتم تستترون ان يشهدعليكم سمعكم ولاابصاركم ولاجلودكم ولكن ظننتم انٌ الله لايعلم كثيرامما تعملون. وذلكم ظنكٌم الذيظننتم بربكم ارديكم فاصبحتم من الخاسرين.
The video-camera, out of sight of customers, is to prove everything against shop-lifters.
The same is true for God, the justest of the just, not to oppress to the least to anyone on the Day of Judgment.
3-The Qur'an warns believers to be patient to hear pros and cons of every idea, get knowledge to weight it down, be fair to judge, and choose the right idea even it is against his own.
“Joy and pleasure would be to those who avoid obey false gods deliberately and return to God in repentance, thus give good news to My servants those who listen to what is said, and follow what is the best. These are those whom God has guided, and these are the people of understanding.” 39: 17, 18
والذين اجتنبواالطاغوت ان يعبدوهاوانابواالي الله لهم البشري، فبشرٌعباد الذين يستمعون القول فيتبعون احسنه، اوليك الذين هديهم الله واولئك هم اولوالالباب.
4-Despite God, the Most High had taught the Prophet everything to teach people the book and wisdom, and purify them, He commanded him again and again to say, ‘O My Lord! Increase my knowledge.” 20: 114
وقل رب زدني علما.
5-“Indeed, only those who are truly knowledgeable among His servants venerate God with respect and awe.” 35: 28
انماٌيخشي الله من عباده العلماء.
Thus what is the matter with most knowledgeable people who don’t pay any due respect and dignity for God in return, while He has inspired them all required knowledge? 71: 13
مالكم لاترجون لله وقارا؟
6-We urge man to take care of his parent with kindness, but if they tried you to set up associate with Me, do not obey them about which you have no knowledge.” 29: 8
ووصيناالانسان بوالديه‘حسنا،وان جاهداك لتشرك بي ماليس لك به علم فلا‘تطعهما.
“ِSay, ‘are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only those who possess intelligence bear in mind.” 39: 9
قل هل يستوي الذين يعلمون والذين لايعلمون؟ انماٌيتذكراولوالالباب.
Imam Hussein (AS) said, ‘the ink (Word) of scholars is better than the blood of martyrs.’
مداد العلماء افضل من دماء الشهداء.
We should concern seriously about the type of scholars and martyrs. We have to think of the martyrs dedicated to God or the martyrs dedicated to Devil. We should bear in mind about the scholars of experimental knowledge or the scholars of spiritual knowledge. Should we think to see which group lead us to the right path or not? Does divine knowledge keep people human and more humble to God or experimental knowledge, and which one would be more useful and which one more harmful? If experimental knowledge tremendously have improved human life-style, on many occasions they have been very dangerous to human being. To name a few are making atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs, deadly weapons, chemical fertilizers, chemical pesticides, chemical additives, and hormonal replacement, and many others.
Along with the creation of the universe, the Most Merciful God very carefully managed it with His special expedience (Self-serving means) and disciplinary measures. Through numerous revelations, God, the Most High reveals how Expedient and how Merciful He is to help His creatures. But taking these necessary measures from God absolutely does not guaranty that man would be successful unless he consistently complies with the Divine rules in his turn.
Here are some revelations in this respect:
“Say, ‘Whose is whatever the heavens and earth contain? Say, ‘To God. He has decreed Mercy upon Himself.” 6: 12
قل لمن مافي السموات والارض؟ قل لله. كتب علي نفسه الرحمه.
“When those who believe in Our revelations came to you, say, Peace upon you, your Lord has decreed Mercy upon Himself.” 6: 54
واذاجائك الذين يؤمنون بأياتنافقل سلام عليكم،كتب ربكم علي نفسه الرحمه.
“Indeed your Lord is God who created the heavens and earth in six periods of time. He then established His throne of absolute authority. He covers the day by the night swiftly following it. And the sun, the moon and the stars are subservient to His will. Indeed, His is the creation and command. And blessed is the Lord of the universe.” 7: 54
ان ربكم الله الذي خلق السموات والارض في سته ايام ثم استوي علي العرش‘يغشي اليل النهاريطلبه حثيثا،والشمس والقمروالنجوم مسخرات بامره، الاله الخلق والامر،تبارك الله رب العالمين.
“Praise the name of your Lord, the Most High, who created, then put it into order, and He measured then guided.” 87: 1-3
سبحٌ اسم ربك الاعلي، الذي خلق فسوٌي، والذي قدرٌفهدي.
“Surely God is Compassionate and Merciful to you, that is why He sent to His servant explaining revelations to pull-out you from the darkness of ignorance into the light of guidance.” 57: 9
هوالذي‘ينزٌل علي عبده أيات بيناٌت ليخرجكم من الطلمات الي النور،وانٌ الله بكم لرؤف رحيم.
‘We already dispatched our messengers with indisputable evidences, and sent with them book and scale in order that people uphold justice.” 57:
لقدارسلنارسلنابابينات وانزلنامعهم الكتاب والميزان ليقوم الناس بالقسط.
“God is the legal Guardian of those who believed, He pulls them out from the darkness into the light, and those who disbelieved, their protectors are false gods who take them from light into darkness.2: 257
الله ولي الذين أمنوايخرجهم من الظلمات الي النوروالذين كفروااوليائهم الطاغوت يخرجونهم من النورالي الظلمات،اولئك اصحاب النارهم فيهاخالدون.
Among all predestined creatures, God, the Compassionate, brought into existence another creature not absolutely predestined nor definitely authorized rather somewhat in between. And as an essential requisite for such a creature to be rightly guided, He provided him with an internal and external messenger. Providing man with a brain, as an internal messenger, means that he is to use his natural faculty to interpret all sensory impulses very consciously to remain human, if not, he will be lower than animals. This is because animals routinely follow their own natural motivations (Instincts). But overwhelming people forget God’s instructions through being instrumented by their frame of mind. Therefore, not only do they forget themselves to see what benefit them, but God would leave them alone to do whatever they want to. Since man is not perfect, most of the time he thinks he does well, while doing wrong. Therefore, most people imprison themselves between two veils to be concealed of the reality of the world. On the one hand, he covers his senses purposely not to understand the real world; on the other hand, God would seal all his faculties to be expelled from the real world.
“Say, ‘Can we tell you what the most harmful deeds are? Those whose endeavors, in this life, are misguided, yet they believe they are doing right.” 18: 103, 104
قل هل‘نبئكٌم بالاخسرين اعمالا؟ الذين ضلٌ سعيهم في الحيوة الدنياوهم يحسبون انهمٌ‘يحسنون‘صنعا
“Be not like those who forgot God, so He made them forget themselves, so they are the deviant, deviators.” 59: 19
ولاتكونواكالذين نسواالله،فانسيهم انفسهم اولئك هم الفاسفون.
“We already created for Hell many jinns and men, for they have minds with which they don’t understand, they have eyes with which they don’t see, and they have ears with which they don’t hear. They are like livestock, rather more misguided. They are absolutely negligent.” 7: 179
ولقدذرأنالجهنم كثيرامن الجن والانس،لهم قلوب لايفقهون بها،لهم اعين لا‘يبصرون بها،لهم أذان لايسمعون بها،اولئك كالانعام بل هم اضل، اولئك هم الغافلون.
“Those who deny God after professing Islam (Total Submission) and open their heart to disbelief will incur the wrath of God and great punishment. That is because they love this life more than the life to come; indeed, god will not guide disbelievers. These are those whom God has sealed their minds, hearing and sight, so they are negligent. Of course, they are losers in the hereafter.” 16: 106-109
ولكن من شرح بالكفرصدرافعليهم غضب من الله ولهم عذاب عظيم. ذلك بانهم استحبواٌالكفرالدنيا علي الاخره وانٌ الله لايحب الكافرين.اولئك الذين طبع الله علي قلزبهم وسمعهم وابصارهم واولئك هم الغافلون.لاجرم انهم في الأخره هم الخاسرون.
This analogy may give more information about how our natural disposition will change. To make a nice custom-made door, a skilled carpenter usually would choose valuable and best quality of timbers. After cutting them into small pieces to the right size, shaping, and smoothing them, he makes what he had in mind. But he would discard worthless wood chips, while they were before absolutely valuable. Human’s nature (natural disposition) is exactly the same. God made him originally valuable but ready to change depending on obedience or disobedience to Him. Being obedient to the will of God, he will be useful to himself as well as others, because he follows his nature upon which God has made him. On the other hand, he will be harmful not only to himself but to others as well, for he has decided to reject God’s will and follow his own desires, while he is not perfect to be able to distinguish which is exactly wrong or right.
“Thus set up your face to the upright faith, that is, the nature of God upon which He created people, so there is no change in God’s creation. This is the up-right faith, though most people do not know.” 30: 30
فاقم وجهك للدين حنيفا،فطرت الله التي فطرالناس عليها،لاتبديل لخلق الله ذلك الدين القيم ولكنٌ اكثر الناس لايعلمون.
Deeply considering about what honey-bees do will make many things clear to us. It would demonstrate that simply following God’s rules with precision causes honey-bee to be helpful to self as well as others, and man couldn’t be an exception to the rule. If honey-bees, with no exception, suck every flower, including toxic ones such as digitalis, belladonna, poppy, rauwolfia and etc, their honey after being thickened in hive, becomes very toxic for themselves as well as others. Consequently, the Most Compassionate God has equipped their eyes to suck only those flowers which reflect ultraviolet rays. And if one of them erroneously sucks some toxic flowers, those bees which guard the hive will sting it to die to keep honey free of toxin.
Don’t be portion-less in your job, like a plane in smoothing wood. And don’t be like an adz to collect all wood chips just to yourself, in shaping and grating wood. For domestic economy, learn from a saw in sawing wood to spread saw-dusts on both sides.
چون رنده زکارخویش بی بهره نباش چون تیشه مباش وجمله زی خودمتراش
تعلیم زاره گیردرعقل معاش نیمی سوی خودمیکش ونیمی می پاش
“Your Lord inspired honeybee to make its hive in the mountains, in the tree, and in high-rise that people make. Then eat from some of fruits, and follow precisely the rules of your Lord to bring out from its belly a drink of different colors with healing power for people. This, in fact, is a sign for people who reflect.” 16: 68, 69
واوحي ربك الي النحل ان اتخذي من الجبال بيوتاومن الشجروممايعرشون،ثم كلي من كل الثمرات، فاسلكي سبل ربك ذللا،يخرج من بطونهاشراب مختلف الوانهافيه شفاْ للناس ان في ذلك لايه لقوم يتفكرون.
God the Most High has already made man in the best setting of qualification but because he is neither totally predestined nor completely authoritative, he has some authorities to choose the right path (God’s rules) or the wrong way (His own wishes). If he chooses the right path, he would pass the angels, but if he chooses the wrong way, he will reduce into the lowest level. This proves that the spectrum of man’s quality, contrary to all other creatures, will be very diversified with all kinds of probabilities.
“We already created man in the best setting of qualification, We then reduced him into the lowest level, save those who believe and do good deeds according to the command of God.” 95; 4-6
لقدخلقناالانسان في احسن تقويم، ثم رددناه اسفل سافلين،الاالذين أمنواوعملواالصالحات.
Maulana, Iranian poet has made this meaningful poem about human hierarchy, moral development, and successive higher grades, from the lowest point to the highest grade.
I left behind solid state (inorganic body), to be into a growing state. Again, I left behind growing state to have animal nature. Again, I left behind bestiality (Lack of intelligence) to a human being. Another time, I have to die form human being to become and angel. Once more, I should go further beyond an angel to become what cannot come to the mind. Thus I would be absolutely nothing as the sound of an organ would die away.
ازجمادی مردم ونامی شدم وزنمامردم زحیوان سرزدم مردم ازحیوانی وآدم شدم
پس چه ترسم من زمردن کم شوم وهله دیگربمیرم ازبشر تابرآرم ازملائک بال وپر
باردیگرازملک پران شوم آنچه اندروهم نایدآن شوم پس عدم گردم عدم چون ارغنون
گویدم اناالله راجعون
In fact, God does never impose even an atom’s weight of oppression on anyone, but man does oppress himself by rejection faith and admitting disbelief.
“Truly God does never oppress people in any way, but it is people who oppress themselves.” 10: 44
انٌ الله لايظلم الناس شيئاولكن الناس انفسهم يظلمون.
“Truly God does not change the condition of any people unless they decide to do so to their own.” 13: 11
انٌ الله لا‘يغيٌرمابقوم حتي‘يغيرٌوامابانفسهم.
A transparent mirror is to see ourselves through it, but when tarnished nothing can be seen in it. When unbelievers make their minds instruments of materialism, they cannot go beyond to see spiritual issues. And when they disregard God, He will disregard them too. And by holding back His guiding light and leaving them on their own will, they would be nailed in total darkness without moving power, as if all their senses are sealed.
Truths are like a beautifully arranged house within which passion and wish have risen like dust. You can see nothing where dust has risen, as the sight can not see though man is sighted.
حقایق سرائیست آراسته هوی وهوس گردبرخاسته نبینی بجائیکه برخاست گرد نبیندنظرگرچه بیناست مرد
In the following revelation, through various metaphors, objective signs are compared with subjective ones to make it more meaningful. A dead man, for instance, is equal to a misguided man. Faith and light are guidance, while darkness is ignorance.
“Can a dead man whom We gave new life, by providing him light with which he can walk among people, be equal to one who is in a total darkness from which he can never exit?” 6: 122
اومن كان ميتافاحييناه وجعلناله نورايمشي به في الناس كمن مثله في الظلمات ليس بخارج؟
For making a light bulb, related plant would observe carefully to see if the air inside of every single bulb is removed after putting a suitable filament in it to make sure that it gives light after being hooked to the source of power. But if such factory failed to follow this serious measure, the filaments will burn immediately after the bulb is connected to the power. And the factory will lose a great asset. But creating man in God’s work-shop must be some what different from making light bulb that a factory makes. Man is a creature authorized to some extent to choose what he wants. In addition, he has to be tested to be proved to himself why he is qualified to be rewarded or convicted to be punished. Therefore the Almighty God provides man with a brain, as an internal messenger, that he can interpret all sensory impulses; and inserts in him a gene of devotion to become enlightened when receiving external messenger’s instructions, just like a filament of a light bulb to glow when connected with power. Contrary to the fact that the factory carefully removes the air from it, the Almighty lets man have desires for testing him. As the filament of a light bulb will immediately burn out with the presence of air, the gene of devotion will be totally destroyed when internal desires have filled the mind despite the presence of the external messenger’s instructions. We already know that when our brain gets damaged, our body will die physically; but sealing mind on purpose, our morality will die.
“Whenever a messenger came to them with messages that did not meet their own desires, they denied some of them and killed some others.” 5: 70
كلماٌجائهم رسول بمالاتهوي انفسهم فريقاكذٌبواوفريفايقتلون.
“Indeed, those who reject God’s revelations, and kill the prophets unjustly, and kill those people who advocate justice; warn them with a painful punishment. Their deeds will come to nothing in this world and the world to come and they will have no helper.” 3: 22
انٌ الذين يكفرون بأيات الله ويقتلون النبيين بغيرالحق ويقتلون الذين يامرون بالقسط من الناس فبشرهم بعذاب اليم. اولئك حبطت اعمالهم في الدنياوالاخره ومالهم من ناصرين.
“In order to test him, We endowed him with hearing and sight.” 76: 2
نبتليه فجعلناه سميعابصيرا.
"Remember, when you were on the near bank of the valley and they were on the far bank of the valley and the caravan of the enemy was passing below you, if you had made a mutual appointment to meet in this way, certainly you would have failed. Yet God certainly decree the matter to be done until those who are to perish would perish with clear proof and those who are to live would live with clear proof, because God is verily All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” 8: 42
اذانتم بالعدوه الدنياوهم بالعدوه القصوي والركب اسفل منكم،ولوتواعدتم لاختلفتم بالميعادولكن ليقضي الله امراكان مفعولاليهلك من هلك عن بينه ويحيي من حيٌ عن بينه وان الله لسميع عليم.
“Why don’t they travel through the land, and why don’t they have conscious mind to consider what happened to the ancient after observing their traces, and why don’t they have ear with which to hear the fact? Apparently their eyes are not blind but their hearts (Insight) within their chests are blind.” 22: 46
افلم يسيروافي الارض فتكون لهم قلوب يفقهون بهااوأذان يسمعون بها،فانهالاتعمي الابصارولكن تعمي القلوب التي في الصدور.
Hatef, Iranian poet has made this mystic, spiritual thinking.
Open the insight to see the soul, and to see truly what id invisible. If you face to the kingdom of love, you will see rose-garden everywhere. Your mind will want what you would see, and you will see what your mind would want. Splitting the inside of each atom, within it, you will find a sun. Spending all you have in love; surely you won’t lose nothing. Burning soul with the heat of love, you will find love as the alchemy of soul. Your ears would hear what you have not heard, and your eyes would see what you have not seen. You will conclude to see just one instead of many things. Love whom wholeheartedly to be able to see clearly with eye certainty.
چشم دل بازکن که جان بینی آنچه نادیدنیست آن بینی گرباقلیم عشق روی آری
همه آفاق گلستان بینی آنچه بینی دلت همان خواهد وانچه خواهددلت همان بینی
دل هرذره ای که بشکافی آفتابیش درمیان بینی هرچه داری اگربعشق دهی
کافرم گرجوی زیان بینی جان گدازی اگربآتش عشق عشق راکیمیای جان بینی
آنچه نشنیده گوشت آن شنود وانچه نادیده چشمت آن بینی تابجائی رساندت کی یکی
ازجهان وجهانیان بینی بایکی عشق ورزازدل وجان تابعین الیقین عیان بینی
O people of deep insight! Sweetheart does manifest frankly from everywhere. It looks that you are in a dark night, because the sun is shining but you look for a candle. Setting yourself free from darkness, you will find the whole world is lighted. Are you in need of a cane or leader like a blind man for such a clear and level way? Make your eyes wide open to see the manifestation of clear water in flower and thorn. From one kind of clear water, He makes thousands colors in tulips and flowers in such rose-garden. Step in with love to demand a provision for this journey. Though performing many affairs would be much difficult with intelligence, they would be very easy with love.
یاربی پرده ازدرودیوار درتجلی است ازدرودیوار شمع جوئی وآفتاب بلند روزبس روشن وتودرشب گرزظلمات خودرهی یابی همه عالم مشارق الانوار
کوروش قائدوعصاطلبی بهراین راه روشن وهموار چشم بگشابگلستان وببین
جلوه آب صاف درگل وخار زآب بیرنگ صدهزاران رنگ لاله وگل نگردرآن گلزار
پابراه طلب نه ازره عشق بهراین راه تشه ای بردار شودآسان زعشق کاری چند
که بودنزدعقل بس دشوار
As it was mentioned before, the Almighty God has helped man biologically in two ways to reach his full mental growth. He provided him with a brain to correctly interpret all sensory impulses to get true facts from outside, like a true messenger who guides him to the right path of the truth. As a body cannot stay physically alive without an active brain, a society cannot stand morally valuable without a true messenger.
As the second way of help, in a figurative revelation, God the Most High has revealed that every single of Adam’s seeds was equipped with the gene of devotion (Godly gene) in order that none have excuse for their disbelief on the Day of Judgment.
“Remember when your Lord equipped the seeds of the loin of Adam’s children with the gene of devotion, asked them to testify against themselves, ‘Am I not your Lord? They all said, ‘Yes we bear witness that you are, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘We were not aware of such issue.” Or you might say, ‘Our ancestors were polytheists before, and we simply were their seeds after them, will you destroy us for what the falsehood had done? 7: 12, 173
واذاخذربك من بني أدم من ظهورهم ذريتهم واشهدهم علي انفسهم ،الست بربكم؟ قالوابلي شهدناان تتقولوايوم الفيامه اناكناعن هذالغافلين،اوتفولواانما‘اشرك أبائنامن قبل وكناذريه من بعدهم، اقتهلكنا بمافعل المبطلون؟
“Since God is Almighty and All-Wise, he sends messengers as delivering good news and warning, so that people have no excuse against God after the coming of messengers.
رسلامبشرين ومنذرين لئلايكون للناس علي الله حجه بعد الرسل.
Despite all precautionary measures on the part of God, human beings usually take one of the 4 different positions with regard to knowledge and faith. They may be neither faithful nor knowledgeable, or both faithful and knowledgeable, or they may be either faithful only or just knowledgeable. While the first position is considered the worst in the sight of God, and the second one is the best, the last two situations are good-for-nothing. For having clearer idea, we should helplessly resort to this analogy.
1-As a bird needs two full-fledged wings to fly efficiently in severe weather condition, a man is also in dire need of two wings of true faith and useful knowledge for moving in the field of his humanity.
“Great bliss and a beautiful place of return belong to those who believed and did good deeds.” 13: 29
الذين أمنواوعملواالصالحات طوبي لهم وحسن مأ ب.
In this position the faithful can rationally defend their faith, and logically prove that there is nothing wrong with their faith, therefore no one can rob them of their belief. While God emphasizes that,” People are in dire need of Good and God is no need of anyone and praiseworthy.” 35: 15
ياايهاالناس انتم الفقراء الي الله والله هوالغني الحميد.
He stipulates, “O believers! If you help God, He will cause you to gain your foothold and makes your heart strength.”47: 7
ياايهاالذين أمنواان تنصروالله ينصركم و‘يثبتٌ اقدامكم.
Fighting against enemy in the cause of God is not the only way to help God for making His religion victorious, teaching people and making them immune against those who prevent people to understand Islam is another way to help God.
Doing good deeds for the faithful, in Quranic terms, means to perform everything thoughtfully and consciously, according to the will of God, to please Him only.
In such case, not only believers will please others but themselves as well to develop public welfare. That is why a mutual relation between true faith and conscious deed is required all the time for having real happiness
A dedicated man came from monastery to school. I said, ‘What was the difference between a worshipper and a scholar that you chose this one from that one? He said, ‘The former tries to save himself, but the latter tries to save others.
صاحبدلی بمدرسه آمدزخانقاه بشکست صحبت عهدطریق را
گفتم میان عابدوعالم چه فرق بود تااختیارکردی زان اینفریق را
گفتاکه این گلیم خویش میکشد برون زآب وان جهدمیکندکه بگیردغریق را
“Anyone who does good deed from among men and women, while believing, surely We will give him happy life, and surely We will reward them to the best of what they were doing.” 16: 97
من عمل صالحامن ذكراوانثي وهومؤمن فلنحيينه حيوة طيبهٌ ولنجزينهم باحسن ماكانوايعملون.
All organs in our body seriously and consciously cooperate with one another, according to the will of God, to save our body and mind. And if any organ disregards its reasonable limits to exceed beyond what is planned by God and becomes invasive and extravagant against other organs like cancer, in a short run the whole body will die. Therefore this rule should be applied to human behavior too. In the following revelation, you will find the serious consequences of such abnormality in any human society.
“When commanding the affluent of a city to follow God’s rules but they reject and turn increasingly away from the right path, We resolve to destroy the whole city when they deserve for punishment.”17: 16
واذااردناان نهلك قريه امرنامترفيهاففسقوفيهافحق عليهاالقول فدمرناهاتدميرا.
2-Having one wing, the miserable bird will be strongly subject to the outside world. If the weather does not cooperate, it cannot fly to save itself. The same reality would be exactly applicable to man who has just knowledge or faith. If acquired knowledge is not protected by true faith, the faithless scholar will be arrogant to submit to God’s rules. Therefore, his knowledge may serve fearlessly to comply with secular wishes without knowing that it may be dangerous to himself and millions of other people. Making atomic bombs and teaching special crew how to release bombs for destroying millions people is not the plan of God. The Merciful God did not provide creatures with knowledge that they make destructive arms to kill each other, He taught them to live with mutual understanding. The existence of so much tumult and turmoil widely practicing every where is nothing but faithlessness. When a man is an instrument of his own whim or a tool in the hand of other faithless people, his expectation wouldn’t be better than this.
“This is because God is the Protector of those who have believed, while disbelievers have no protector.” 47: 11
ذلك بان الله مولي الذين أمنواوان الكافرون لامولي لهم.
“If you blaspheme, know that truly God does not need you, yet the blasphemy of His servants does not please Him, while thanking will please Him.” 39: 7
ان تكفروافانٌ الله غني عنكم، ولايرضي لعباده الكفر،وان تشكروايرضه لكم.
Expressing thanks really means to apply Devine rules practically.
“Indeed, those who disbelieved will be called that God hates you more intense than you hate yourselves when you were kept calling to faith but you were disbelieving.” 40: 11
ان الذين كفروا‘ينادون لمقت الله اكبرمن مقتكم انفسكم اذ‘تدعون الي الايمان فتكفرون؟
Self-loving is an innate peculiarity of man on the basis of which God has made him. Thus he should naturally do something to improve his body, mind and spirit. Choosing blasphemy is the first step against his well-being, because in such situation he will not exactly distinguish which way would be advisable to him. Committing suicide means he hates himself. Doing homicide, genocide, suicide bombing, and killing his fellow-creatures, with no plausible motive, mean nothing but hate under the guise of blasphemy.
“Verily the worst creatures in the sight of God are those that by covering the truth, do not believe.” 8: 55
انٌ شرٌالدوابٌ عندالله الذين كفروافهم لا‘يؤمنون.
3-Just being faithful without enjoying enough knowledge causes us to fail to get the right idea and lose our faith with the least objection. The Almighty God has sets forth all kinds of examples in His book that people grasp the gist idea but only those who possess knowledge can get the whole idea.
“The example of those serving other masters beside God is like the spider which makes a cobweb for itself, while the flimsiest of houses is the cobweb if only they know. And We make all these examples, but those who are knowledgeable can reflect.” 29: 41,43
مثل الذين اتخذوامن دون الله اولياء كمثل العنكبوت اتخذت بيتا،وانٌ اوهن البيوت لبيت العنكبوت لوكانوا يعلمون. وتلك الامثال نضربهاللناس ومايعقلهاالاالعالمون.
“And when those reminded with the revelations of their Lord, do not turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to them.” 25: 73
والذين اذا‘ذكرواٌ بأيات ربهم لم يخرواعليهاصماٌ وعميانا.
4- Those who possess neither knowledge nor faith, not only they fail to nail down any truth, but they are the worst creatures for losing any opportunity to improve the condition of their life-style. They have no idea of their own, because they are just puppets at the hand of others.
“Verily the worst creatures in the sight of God are the deaf and dumb those who do not use their intelligence.” 8: 22
انٌ شرٌالدوابٌ عندالله الصمٌ البكم الذين لايعقلون.
After enough discussion about the two kinds of knowledge, let us investigate a bit more about the difference between the two first and then focus our attention on the third one.
1-Everybody either noble or ignoble can get experimental knowledge, but there is no guaranty that this kind of experiment is useful, while most of the time is abused.
2- Man, in general, has never been perfect at any moment of his life. Though he may struggle to improve his knowledge from the lowest level to the highest one, he never can reach the absolute certainty unless after death. Certainty of knowledge” is the lowest level, but “Certainty of Eye” is higher level, and the highest level which cannot be reached is absolute certainty. That is why this idiom, “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave” has been generally accepted everywhere.
“And the trumpet is blown, and this is the day of threat. And every soul has come with a driver and witness. Already you have been oblivious to this. We remove the veil from you, so your vision is sharp today.”50: 19-22
و‘نفخ في الصور،ذلك اليوم الوعيد.وجائت كل نفس معهاسائق وشهيد.لقدكنت في غفله من هذافكشفنا عنك غطائك فبصرك اليوم حديد.
“Truly, in this there is a reminder for him who has a conscious mind to admit the truth, or carefully listen to what is said, and be present and ready to accept the truths.” 50:37
انٌ في ذلكلذكري لمن كان له قلب اوالقي السمع وهوشهيد.
3- Lacking enough insight, most people of experimental knowledge sell their experiment to make weapon of great destructive power. Therefore, millions people will be killed by their harmful knowledge, whereas those bestowed knowledge by God never do this. That is because God with unlimited knowledge esoterically bestows knowledge to a particular group whose qualifications have been already approved.
4-Regular people have capricious disposition, so their experimental knowledge, but those granted with knowledge are steadfast in word and behavior.
Thus we see that God has condemned scientists of experimental knowledge, while He has expressed His warm approval for those whom He granted knowledge.
“God makes those who believes stand firm with steady word in this life and in the life to come.”14: 27
‘يثبتٌ الله الذين أمنوابالقول الثابت في الحيوة الدنياوفي الاخره.
“Have you noticed that one who has taken his lust his god? Consequently God lets him go astray despite his knowledge, and seal his ear and mind and set a veil over his eyes. Who then can guide him after such a decision of God? Would you take heed?
افرايت من اتخذ اللهه هواه واضله الله علي علم وختم علي سمعه وقلبه وجعل علي بصره غشاوه، فمن يهديه من بعدالله؟ افلاتذكرون؟
“Thus avoid the one who has turns away from our remembrance and desires nothing but the life of this world. This is the extent of his knowledge.” 53: 29
فاعرض عن من تولي عن ذكرناولم‘يردالاالحيوة الدنيا،ذلك مبلغهم من العلم.
“O believers! When you are told make room in your gathering, make room for each other. God will make room for you in Paradise. And when you are told get up and move, get up and move. God will raise a rank of those who believed of you, and those who have been granted knowledge with more ranks.” 58: 11
ياايهاالذين أمنوااذاقيل لكم تفسحوافي المجالس فافسحوايفسح الله لكم، واذاقيل لكم انشزوافانشزوا، يرفع الله الذين أمنوامنكم والذين اوتوالعلم درجات.
“Rather the Qur'an as clear revelations is in the chest of those given knowledge. Only oppressors deny our revelations.” 29: 49
بل هوأيات بينات في صدورالذين اوتوالعلم،ومايجحد بأياتناالاالظالمون.
“He grants wisdom to whom He wills and whoever is given wisdom is given numerous advantages, yet no one remembers but the possessor of intelligence.” 2: 269
يؤت الحكمه من يشاء ومن يؤت الحكمه فقداوتي خيراكثيراومايذكرٌ الااولوالالباب.
Say, “Indeed, all grace is in the hand of God. He will disclose it to whom he wills, indeed, God is open-handed and All- Wise, and specifies His mercy to whomever He wills (Qualified for His grant), because God possesses great favor. 3: 73, 74
قل انٌ الفضل بيدالله يؤتيه من يشاء،والله ذوالفضل العظيم. يختصٌ برحمته من يشاء،ذوالفضل العظيم
To tell the truth, the basic factors to all criminal practices are totally disregarding the Day of Judgment and being absolutely devoted to this temporal world.
Could we believe that God has created man, and taught him just to kill one another and shed blood without any fear? The flow of nature rhythm is amazingly harmonious. While our body is a subordinate of nature, its organs function reciprocally and seriously. Why then human mind is so corrupted that he is unable to make any decision correctly?
And indeed, you have learned the Qur'an from the presence of All-Wise, All-Knowing.” 27: 6
وانكٌ لتلقيٌ القرأن من لدن حكيم عليم.
Moses and his companion found one of our servants whom we blessed with our Mercy and bestowed with knowledge from our knowledge.” 18: 65
فوجداعبدامن عبادنا أتيناه رحمه من عندناوعلمناٌه من لدنا علما.
While nobody can evaluate God’s knowledge, His knowledge consists of all secrets of the kingdom of the heavens and earth. And such a God sends the Qur'an as the seal of His Devine books in various names such as Qur'an, Forgan, or Zekr as a book of life regulation for all human beings.
“And unbelievers said, ‘This book is nothing but a lie fabricated with the help of other people. Truly it is nothing but injustice and a lie. And they said it is the legend of the ancient which has been written down and dictated to him morning and evening. Say, ‘He who knows all secrets of the heavens and earth has sent it.” 25: 4-6
وقال الذين كفرواان هذاالاافك افتريه واعانه عليه قوم أخرون،فقدجاؤظلماوزورا. وقالوااساطير الاولين اكتتبهافهي‘تملي عليه بكره واصيلا.قا انزله الذي يعلم السرٌفي السموات والارض.
1-O God! Insert light in my eyes, give me insight in my faith, make me sincere in my deed, grant health to my soul, and help me to thank you as far as I am living.
2-O God! Support me with your protective measures. Make my tongue talk with wisdom. Place me of those who regret for what they forfeited yesterday, not cheated for today prosperity, and do not mind for tomorrow daily bread.
3-O God! We disobeyed you in what you commanded. We concluded in what you proscribed. We made each other forget what you reminded us. We made one another blind in what you made us see. And we exceeded in what you warned us.
Please sent you comments and remarks, Dr. Hossein, Navab.