Unity of Society is true purpose of the Quran

[Arnold Yasin Mol]

Most people believe that Revelations as the Quran were send to mankind mainly to erase idolatry from the people. That Allah was angry with people for not thanking Him. That our life is about worshipping God, and that He gets angry when we believe in gods beside Him. That we attain Paradise by just believing in Allah alone. True monotheism is enough to be a Muslim and to gain Paradise.

This Image of Allah is man-made and comes from the definition that humans demand recognition for their accomplished work. They impose this human emotion on Allah. Just like human rulers demand acknowledgement of their rule and power, mankind also believed Allah demanded this. As how people wield power is the only known definition of power mankind knows.

But is this true? Does Allah demand acknowledgement of His Single Rule just like human rulers as kings and dictators demand this? Is this the purpose of Revelation, of the Quran?

Is Allah jealous of other idols, does He care if we believe in other gods?

Allah Himself says:

14:8 Moses made it clear to his people that obedience to the Divine Commands was only good for them, “If you deny the Truth, you and all those who live in the earth, know that Allah is indeed Self-sufficient, Owner of Praise.”

He doesn't need anything, it us who is in need.

3:97 .... One who denies verily, Allah, the Rich is Self-Sufficient, want-free of any peoples.

To believe Allah is One is part of accepting Reality, it has NOTHING to do with Allah Himself. Allah is worthy of Praise, but does NOT demand it.

As in the words of Solomo:

27:40 ....He said, "This success is a blessing from my Lord, that He may try me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. Whoever is grateful is grateful for his own good, and whoever is ungrateful, should know that my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Supremely Honorable.”

So what is the true purpose of believing in Allah being One?

22:73 "O Mankind! Here is an example for you to listen and ponder! Behold, those beings you invoke instead of Allah, cannot create as much as a fly, even if they were to join all their forces to do so. And if a fly robs them of anything, they cannot get it back from it. Weak indeed is the seeker and weak indeed the sought.”
22:74 They esteem not Allah as He must be esteemed. In fact, Allah is the One, Mighty, All Powerful. (6:92, 39:67).

Believing in One God is the simple Truth, it is a direct observation of Reality. To see God as One, is the first step to distance one Self from Kafr. Kafr=To Close the Eyes for Reality/To bury the Truth for one's Self.

This observation of Reality is beautifully seen in the story of Abraham:

6:75 We gave Abraham insight, the ability to reflect, into the Mighty Dominion of the Universe so that he might attain firm conviction.
6:76 (Some of his people were idolaters and others were Nature worshipers.) One night when it grew dark upon him he saw a planet (Venus). Abraham exclaimed to them, “This is my Lord!” But when it went down, he said, “I love not the things that go down.”
6:77 (The other night) when the moon was rising, he exclaimed, “This is my Lord." But when it went down, he said to himself and to the people, “Unless my Lord guides me, I surely will go astray.”
6:78 (In the morning) he saw the sun rising in splendor, and he said, “This is my Lord! This is greater!” But, as the sun went down, Abraham exclaimed, “O My people! I am free from all that you associate with God.”
6:79 “I have focused firmly on Him Who initiated the heavens and the earth; as an upright man I turn away from all that is false. I will never be an idol worshiper in any form.”

Abraham saw that believe in idols is not based on Reality, but on selfimposed belief. It is not based on evidence.

We can see clear order in the Universe. Everything works through fixed Laws and not through chaos. This is clear evidence of a single Control. If there were more deciders on the Universe's purpose and governance, the Universe would be in chaos as every controller would have imposed their own will unto their part. Order means there is only one Will that governs the Universe. Allah clarifies this also with the verse:

21:22 If there were other gods besides God, there would have been chaos in both, the heavens and the earth. Glorified is Allah, the Lord of Supreme Control, above all that they contrive. (6:3, 16:51, 39:67, 3:84).

So believe in One God, One Creator is a confirmation of Reality. This is why we also say:

3:18 Allah Himself witnesses that there is no god but He and so do the Universal Physical Laws, and men and women of Science who research in the right direction (21:22). There is no god but He, the Almighty, the Wise.

It is the Muslim Creed of Belief.

Ashahadu Illeh illa Allah

shahada means to stand witness/to observe and confirm.

This is exactly what we do when we say this creed. We first see that their are no several rulers governing this Universe, and thus we witness and confirm Allah's only Supremacy.

Also there is another very important factor that comes out of believing in Allah alone. When people believe in several gods, idols or masters, eventualy every person in that group will have a favorite idol, and thus the group is split up between different followers. They all claim to believe in the same gods, but they always have a favorite and believe that is the only one that will bring them victory or afterlife. This is a fact observed in every religion. The Romans believed in hundreds of gods, and each family had their favorite who they worshipped and revered above the other gods. We can see this in Hinduism were several Temples are built for specific gods, and not for all of them. Thus although they all believe in the same group of gods, they are all devided in practice and goal.

In the book "The History of God" by K.Armstrong, she says about the belief in one god:

"Because of having one Supreme God, the Twelve tribes of the Hebrews were united in one single goal."

Allah says the same thing:

30:32 The MUSHRIKEEN that split up their religion becoming sects - each sect delighting in whatever beliefs they have. (3:104, 6:160, 23:53, 42:13. Sectarianism is invariably based upon taking humans as ‘authorities’).

Believing in One God is a direct observation of Reality and it unites us, as we all have the same goal and all acknowledge the same source of Nourishment. And we all accept the same Divine Will.

So this is the reason for believing Allah is One. But is this the MAIN reason for Revelation and Deen? Is the main goal of the Divine System to believe in One God?

Let's see what Allah tries to tell us through stories of the past, as He says:

12:111 Indeed in the history of these men, there is a lesson for people of understanding. As for this Revelation, it could not possibly be a hadith, fabricated. It confirms the Divine Origin of the previous Scriptures, and gives a detailed explanation of everything. And it is a Beacon and Mercy for all those who accept it.

So what does Allah say about the MAIN role of Prophet's and their Wahi?

Here we have the story of Moses, when he returns from the mountain Sinai, he sees that his people have made a statue and has started worshipping it. Aaron/Harun, his brother and fellow Prophet, was left behind to keep guiding them. Moses sees the Shirk, Idolatry and turns in anger to Aaron:

20:92 When he returned, Moses asked, “O’ Aaron! What stopped you when you saw them going astray?
20:93 That you followed me not? Didn’t you disobey my order?”
20:94 Aaron said, "O Son of my mother! Don't get mad at me, nor treat me harshly. I feared that you would say, “You have let the Children of Israel divide into parties and sects." (Moses accepted this explanation since sectarianism is no less a crime than idol worship in any form. Seizing the beard and head pertains to harsh interrogation 7:150).

Here we see clearly that the Prophet Aaron chooses UNITY of his people ABOVE the right concept of God. When Moses sees this, he is of course shocked, but the choice of Aaron is wise. Why?

When a people turn to a false idol or idols, it takes time for them to divide. In the first periods they are still united, as their self-made idol hasn't clashed with Reality yet. Only after a long period will people divide as the first idol-concept clashed with Reality, and so a new one is made to try again to confirm Reality with it. Each time they will fail, and keep on creating their concept of Reality. People's concepts of Reality will differ over time, and then they become divided.

If the Prophet Aaron would have attacked them on their idolatry immediately and without Moses's help, their would be a great risk in loosing the authority they had over them. They would have divided among themselves, to people who would have listened to Aaron and those who wouldn't. This break up would be disasterous for the Mission of Aaron and Moses.

A people who just have created a new idol are still united, but also can be quickly reformed when you give them the correct concept of Reality and thus of Allah.

So the Unity of a people goes above the right concept of Allah.

And thus is the greatest form of Shirk, Idolatry.

20:94 Aaron said, "O Son of my mother! Don't get mad at me, nor treat me harshly. I feared that you would say, “You have let the Children of Israel divide into parties and sects."

And so the MAIN goal of Revelations are to UNITE people, and keep them united in the same goal.

Prophets first began with the concept of Allah, as the people were highly divided as all followed their concept of Reality. To unite them into one single goal, they first must be taught the true concept of Reality before they can strive together for the Deen, the Divine System. The correct view on Allah is one of the means to help us in our true goal.

Muslims believe all in One God. But still they are divided. How can this be?

Because they believe worship and acknowledgment of Allah's Oneness is the MAIN purpose of the Quran. Because of this false concept, they are fighting each other over how to fulfill this idea of acknowledgment.

30:31 Turn unto Him alone then, and be mindful of Him, and establish the Divine System and be not of the MUSHRIKEEN who ascribe authorities along with Him. (2:213).

They approach the Quran from a RELIGIOUS point of view and not from a DEEN point of view. They don't understand Allah is above their selfimposed need to acknowledge Him.

3:97 .... One who denies verily, Allah, the Rich is Self-Sufficient, want-free of any peoples.

He does not demand acknowledgement of His Rule, He wants you to SEE it:

56:57 It is We Who have created you. Will you not, then, admit the Truth?
56:58 Have you ever considered the male and female seed?
56:59 Is it you who create it or are We the Creator?

To believe in One God will not unite the Muslims, as long as they approach the Quran from a religious point of view. The Quran is not meant to learn us how to acknowledge Allah, we do that by OBSERVING the Reality and Creation.

3:191 (Such men and women of understanding keep reflecting upon how Allah’s Laws operate in the Universe.) Standing, sitting, and reclining, they observe, and reflect upon Allah's creation of the Heavens and the Earth and wonder, "Our Lord! You have not created all this without Purpose. High Above You are from creating anything in vain! Save us, then, from being negligent in attaining knowledge and thus, getting condemned to Fire.” (When humans harness the forces of Nature and use them for the common good of all, they move away from Hell and close to Paradise in both lives 45:13-14).

The real purpose of the Quran is to UNITE the world. Make it again into ONE people as it was before. When we approach the Quran from this point of view, we would fear the idea of being divided as we then go directly against the Quranic Goal.

When we learn these most important words from Aaron, we will know the true and correct approach to the Quran:

20:94 Aaron said, "O Son of my mother! Don't get mad at me, nor treat me harshly. I feared that you would say, “You have let the Children of Israel divide into parties and sects."

This is the correct approach to the Quran and to it's teachings. It is not a Book that teaches us how to worship God. It is a Book that teaches us how to create the best society that will make Mankind into One nation again, so we all are focused on the same Goal, to reach YauwmeDeen, the Era of Fulfillment.

7:24 (Self interests of people had given rise to unjust marking of land and individual hoarding. Suppression of the weak had begun). Allah told them that they had fallen down from the high station of humanity. They had ignored the Law that "Mankind is one community" (10:19). From then on, they would live as tribes and nations, enemies to one another, “There will be for you on land an abode and sustenance for a while.” (Tribalism 49:13)

10:19 All mankind were but one community (and are meant to be so); then they differed (2:213). Had not your Lord decreed the Law of free will for humans, He would have judged their disputes immediately (2:30, 2:256, 11:118, 16:9, 76:2-3).

All Laws in the Quran, all given concepts as Hajj and Saum and Salat are all meant to UNITE Mankind, not to worship Allah.

We can approach Hajj as a ritual gathering where everyone will only focus on Allah, on acknowledging Allah's Supramecy. We can all focus on Fasting to be meant for Allah. We can focus on Salat as only meaning Prayer. These concepts all come through approaching the Quran from a religious point of view.

But as I have shown, these are all man-made ideas on their purpose. Allah says in the Quran that WE are the focus.

21:10 O Mankind! Now We have revealed unto you a Book that is all about you and it will give you eminence. Will you not, then, use your sense? (21:24, 23:70, 43:43-44).

When we approach the Quran from a Deen point of view, it all becomes different. The Quranic purpose is to give Mankind the Perfect Divine System to unite them and give us eminence. So an idea on Hajj being only to focus on Allah is NON-Quranic.

Hajj means literally Debate or Discussion in Classic Arabic. It's Root also has a second meaning of Year. So this means the Hajj is a yearly gathering. And the Quran says clearly this is a duty for ALL of Mankind:

3:97 Therein are clear Messages (to achieve that coveted goal and recall) how Abraham once took his stand (against all divisions of humanity and was granted the leadership of all mankind 2:124-125). Those who enter the System symbolized thereby shall find inner peace and external security. Hence, joining the Hajj Convention at this Meeting Point for the Cause of Allah alone is DUE ON ALL MANKIND who have the circumstantial means to undertake the visit. One who denies (this Wisdom, should know that) verily, Allah, the Rich is Self-Sufficient, want-free of any peoples.

So this means Hajj is an Yearly International Debate to solve conflicts and to better Mankind. It is not focussed on Allah, but on us.

The same holds for the word Salat. Salat means To Follow Closely, Attachment, Contact, Prayer and many more meanings. If we approach the Quranic Goal to be acknowledging Allah, to be a religious Book focussed on acknowledging Allah, then it is logical Salat means Prayer. But since it is clear WE are the focus of the Quran, then the meaning becomes totaly different.

The meaning of Salat is explained in:

24:41 Do you not realize that Allah, He it is Whom all beings in the heavens and the earth glorify, and the birds, with their wings outspread, as they fly in columns. All of them know their SALAT and TASBEEH (mission and strife). Allah is Aware of what they do to fulfill His Plan.

Tasbeeh means To Strive Hard, To go on a Quest/Mission, To Take Long Strides. Salat means To Follow Closely.

So in order of the verse, all beings knows what to follow closely to strive hard on their quest, they know their Salat and Tasbeeh.

What do animals follow? Their instinct which tells them how to work the Laws of Nature in the best way so to become the strongest and multiply.

We as humans don't have an instinct on a dominant level. So to follow the Laws of Nature, we must observe them closely. But there are also many Laws we can't observe through Scientific Research. These Laws are explained to us through Revelation. Revelations are Instincts for Mankind to follow voluntarely.

So Salat means to Follow the Divine Laws of Nature and Revelation so we can know how to strive hard on our Quest and Mission.

This is the difference and importance of approach. Believe in One God is a confirmation of Reality and the first step into uniting Mankind and the Muslims. But it is the same approach to the Quran which will truly unite us. It is clear the Quran is focussed on us, not on Allah. He has given us the Quran so we can become the best people on Earth. To make Paradise on earth that will be continued in the Next Life. We must all approach the Quran from this point, and then the true meanings of words become clear.

Then we can claim:

3:110 (Since you have been empowered by the Qur’an), you are indeed the best suited Community that has been raised up for the good of mankind. You shall enjoin the Right, by example and close the doors to Wrong, by example, since you have conviction in Allah (and accept His Final Word as the Criterion of Right and Wrong 3:4. The Qur’an educates you on the Permanent Moral Value System and distinguishes clearly what the otherwise vague terms of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, and ‘good’ and ‘evil’ would mean). Now if the People of the Scripture had attained this kind of belief, it would have been for their own good. Some of them do embrace belief, while most of them continue to drift away.

[adjwi]

Salam Walaikum,

Merçi! Arnold Yasin Mol


Walaikum Salam

[Quasim Hamdani]

Arnold,

Great insight and a wonderful exposition.

Thank you.