Simultaneous Presence in Present and Future

Time and space are considered as a twin and interdependent phenomenon. Time may be defined as a distance between two points in space. Simply speaking, if a person moves from point A to point B, the duration required for space travelled/ covered between points A and B is called Time to reach from A to B. In other words, if space between A and B is expanded, the time to reach from A to B will be expanded; and if the space between A and B is contracted/condensed, time to reach from A to B will be shortened. It means same event (in this case moving from A to B) will require more (expanded) time to happen, if space is expanded; as that event will require lesser time to happen, if space is condensed/ contracted.  This concept of time and space may be substantiated on the basis of Quran.

Sura al-maarij states that “Lord of the Ascending Stairways. The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him in a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years” (al-ma,arij-3,4). These stairways or gates are used by Hazrat Gabrael (as) and other angels to reach to such divine proximity from where they receive commandments from Allah, and such ascendance of angels from earth to seventh sky happens in a DAY (twenty four hours) which is actually equal to fifty thousand years on earth. It means events happen quicker on earth as we move from 1st sky to upper skies; the events occurring in fifty thousand years on earth take one day/24 hours in seventh sky to occur on earth. In other words, one second spent in the seventh sky would be equal to 211.22 days spent on earth; it means the events which are seen to be happened  in one second in seventh sky would happen in 211.22 days on earth. That is why Allah states: “Indeed, they see it [as] distant, But We see it [as] near”(al-ma,arij-6,7). 

It also explains why 'meraj' was possible only within a part of night; the events witnessed by Hazrat Muhammad (saw) during the ‘journey of meraj’, would take future thousands of years to take place according to earth time. It means our Nabi (saww) during ‘meraj’ was witnessing future incidents of earthly time; he (saw) during ‘meraj’ was actually living in future of earthly time. Now because our Nabi (saw) came back to earth from ‘meraj’ journey, it means he (saw) was witnessing during ‘meraj’ the events relating to himself also.  In other words, our Nabi (saw) during ‘meraj’ was living simultaneously in present and future of earthly time. Therefore we may infer that man can not only travel in future of earthly time but also live simultaneously in future and present of earthly time.

Allah's Sunnah and Allah's 'Amr'

 We have already seen in the article “Process of Creation and Conquest of Nature” that Allah’s ‘amr’ are actually natural systems working in this universe.

Both Allah’s amr and Allah’s Sunnah are Allah’s acts. Both are natural systems working in this universe. But there is one difference between the two. Allah’s ‘amr’ is Allah’s such natural system  which is operated by Allah through angels; whereas Allah’s Sunnah is Allah’s such natural system which is operated by Allah through people. In other words, Allah’s sunnah is such Allah’s ‘amr’ which is operated by Allah through people.

Both Allah’s sunnah and Allah’s amr are fixed principles; there is no change in the operational conditionality of these principles/ systems. Allah says:

“[This is] the sunnah of Allah with those who passed on before; and you will not find in Allah’s sunnah any change” (al-ahzab-62).

“…[This is] the sunnah of Allah with those [prophets] who have passed on before. And ever is the “amr” of Allah a destiny decreed” (al-ahzab-38).

From these above quoted verses, it is evident that Allah’s sunnah and Allah’s amr are fixed principles/ systems. [FIXED priciples do not mean the principles which will always come into play; big bang (i.e. amr e Elahi) will not happen again till Qiyamah. Similarly principle of 'nabuwwat' does not always come into play. Like big bang will not not happen again till Qiyamah, nabuwwat will also not come down to any other person after our Nabi (s.a.w). As the applicability/implications of big bang is a continuing phenomenon till Qiyamah, our Nabi's (S.A.W) nabuwwaat also has applicability/ implications till Qiyamah). The fixed principles mean the principles which, whenever come into play, will come into play with the same conditionality/ manner].

All social systems (political, economic, moral and social) encountered by mankind are Allah’s sunnah; these are such natural systems which are operated by Allah through people. If people adopt social system as  enshrined in revealed knowledge i.e. Quran and Sunnah, Allah, under His sunnah/ natural system, unleashes positive social values in the society; otherwise, Allah, under His sunnah /natural system, unleashes negative social values in the society.  If any social value is negative, such negative social value may only be rectified by people by adopting corresponding positive social value; such negative social value may not be rectified by adopting other positive social values. In other words, if any negative social value relates to political system, it cannot be undone by adopting positive social values in economic system; similarly negative value in economic system cannot be offset by positive values in political or other social systems. Because Allah’s sunnah/ ‘amr’ are fixed principles having unchanged operational conditionality, it entails the fact that every negative social value has to be undone by corresponding positive social value. In other words, we have to adopt all positive social values pertaining to all social systems; we have to adopt all social systems (political, economic, moral, and social) as enshrined in the revealed knowledge. Partial and selective adoption of positive social values is neither enough nor yielding required results completely, though partial adoption of positive social values may yield to required results partially. 

'Dua', 'Neda' and 'Shirk'

                                                    

To call Allah is called ‘dua’. To call an individual/ creation is called ‘neda’.  To call an individual/ creation may be or may not be ‘Shirk’.

In terms of ownership, everything contained in/ belonging to this universe is owned by Allah. But ownership may be further divided into two types. First is such ownership which exclusively belongs to Allah (e.g. life; death; ‘hidayat’; ‘gumrahi’ etc.); second is such ownership which may also belong to individuals (e.g. wealth; employment; goods etc.).

Shirk is actually relating to subject-matter of the call, and the intention of the caller. If the subject-matter of call is something exclusively owned by Allah, such a call to an individual/ creation will be ‘shirk’, if the intention of the caller is that the individual called out   will not make a ‘dua’ to Allah for fulfillment of the caller’s request.  If the subject-matter of the call is something whose ownership may also belong to individuals, such a call to an individual/ creation will not be ‘shirk’, if the caller’s intention is that the individual called out may get the caller’s request fulfilled out of the resources owned/ managed by the person called out; OR that, if such resources are not available to the person called out, the person called out will make a ‘dua’ to Allah for fulfillment of the caller’s request.

A ‘neda’ constituting a ‘shirk’ is also called ‘dua’ to individual/ creation.

Law of Gravity and Quran

                       

It is our common experience that everything is pulled by earth. The force used by earth to pull things towards itself is called its force of gravity. It is a scientific notion put forth by Newton that force of gravity exercised by a planet is directly proportional to mass of the planet; greater the mass a planet contains, greater the gravitational force it possesses. In other words, force of gravity of earth lies within earth due to its mass. Without generating a scientific discourse on premises set by this theory, we would look into the fact whether or not Quran endorses the view that force of gravity lies within the earth due to its mass. 

Before taking on the actual point, it is necessary to understand the meanings of words ‘khalaqa’ and ‘jaala’ in Quran.  In Quran, both words ‘khalaqa’ and ‘jaala’ are used with meaning ‘to make’. But there is a very important difference between these two words. The word ‘khalaqa’ is always used to describe making originally something physical or non-physical; but the word ‘jaala’ is always used to mention a state (kafiat) given to a thing already made.  For instance, for making of mankind “khalaqa” is used in Quran (al-baqra-21); for “khilafah” given to mankind “jaala” is used (al-baqra-30). ‘Khalaqa’ has been used for original creation of mankind; whereas ‘jaala’ has been used to describe ‘khilafah’ (i.e. a state- a ‘kafiat’) given to already created mankind.

Quran states about the force of gravity in many verses. For instance Quran says:

“He placed/’jaala’ therein (i.e. in the earth's atmosphere) burdens/ ‘rawasiya’ from above it…..(fussilat-10).

 In this verse word ‘jaala’ has been used, and as mentioned above, this word ‘jaala’ is used for describing a state(kafiat) given to already created thing; it is not used for describing original creation of physical things. Therefore in this verse, word ‘rawasiya’ may mean burdens or mountains (both burdens and mountains are states given to earth). But because these ‘rawasiya’ have been placed on earth from above the earth and because mountains are not placed on earth from above the earth, rather they emerged from within the earth, therefore word ‘rawasiya’ may not mean mountains. The correct meaning of word ‘rawasiya’ in this verse is burdens. Such burdens on earth have been described in many other verses too.

“He has thrown down burdens/’rawasiya’ on earth lest you should be hurled away with it (or/and lest it should shake with you). Therein He has also made rivers and roads so that you will find your way” (al-nahl-15).

In the above verse too, word ‘rawasiya’ may not mean mountains because these ‘rawasiya’ have been thrown down on earth, and obviously mountains are not thrown down on earth. Here again word ‘rawasiya’ means burdens which have been thrown down on earth from above the earth. It is also mentioned in this verse that these burdens help men in maintaining their balance on earth.  This balancing role of these burdens has been described in another verse which states:

“And the earth - We have spread it and threw down burdens/ ‘rawasiya’ therein  and caused to grow therein  everything well-balanced” (al-hijr-19).

This verse states that the burdens thrown down on earth from above the earth cause maintenance of balance in growth of every vegetation on earth.

It may be noted that the author is not emphasizing that word ‘rawasiya’ may only mean burdens; this word may also mean both burdens and mountains in some other verses.

From above quoted all verses, it is evident that Allah has imposed burdens on earth from above the earth. These burdens on earth help us in maintaining our balance on the earth so that we may not be hurled away on earth (as we are hurled away on the Moon surface); these burdens cause every vegetation grow in balance. In other words, these burdens have the characteristics of force of gravity. These burdens are actually force of gravity which has been thrown down on the earth from above the earth. In other words, force of gravity does not lie within the earth due to mass rather it is something thrown down on earth from above. 

Einstein’s theory to explain gravity as curved space phenomenon rejects Newton’s Law of Gravitation mentioned above. Einstein’s theory explains that force of gravity does not lie within mass of a planet, rather it is the result of space curvature caused by a big planet. All planets orbiting around the big planet actually orbit in the space orbits made due to space curvature. Similarly all things are attracted by the earth due to space curvature which leads everything to fall into earth. As this space curvature exists above the earth, the reason of falling of things into earth lies above the earth; it does not lie in the mass  contained in the earth.