Article appeared Friday, June 15th, 2012 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (232)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Does a chair, a computer, a tree, a monkey and a human being have anything in common? Are they all equally manufactured or created? Is there then, a major difference? Can the chair or the computer, or the tree or the monkey understand the fact that it is created? It is only humans that have been given the wisdom or a light to see the Creator by exploring their own creation. Things other than human beings are in the dark about themselves while human beings have been given the light to independently visualize that they are created and thereby develop a befitting attitude towards their Creator. Accordingly, we find in the New Testament of the Bible, The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. [John 1:5, NIV] {1} Man has been given a light to independently visualize the Creator as the Originator, Source, Protector, Sustainer and the Destination. If desired, he/she can then demonstrate that he/she has accepted this fact by following Guidelines Revealed by the Creator in word and actions to raise himself/herself to the enlightened position of knowing the Creator. To test the quality of our understanding, we are told that Satan tempts humans to fear, worship and revere things in addition to the Creator. Jesus (pbuh) himself was tempted to turn in worship to things other than the Creator alone, as narrated in the Bible: Then Jesus said to him, Be gone, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve. [Matthew 4:10, ESV] {2} All Revealed Scriptures place singular emphasis on the concept of worshipping and adoring the Creator alone. When we reject the fear and reverence of created beings/things and turn exclusively to the Creator distinguishing Him with adoration and gratefulness we achieve the purpose for which our Creator has blessed us with light. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD. [Psalm 89:15, NIV] {3} Those who additionally deify or revere other things, e.g. deify Jesus or adhere to concepts that oppose the exclusive unity of the Creator have become prey to the temptation of Satan. Equating other beings or things dilutes the concepts of oneness, omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience that exclusively apply to the Creator and thereby reject the unity and uniqueness of the Creator. Men of perverse heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with evil. [Psalm 101:4, NIV] {4} The Creator alone is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Everything other than He is created. There is nothing like Him in the heavens or on the earth. Even the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, the Vedas{5}, confirm this primary fact. A person may use the light or wisdom bestowed by the Creator in either a positive or negative manner. A person who uses the light positively understands and acknowledges the singularity and uniqueness of the Creator. On the other hand, a person who uses the light negatively formulates a variety of logic to erect equals with the Creator, thus diluting the unique distinction of the Creator resulting in rejection of the Creator. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. [Luke 11:34-35, NIV] {6} The Quran, being the most recent Revelation, reminds mankind again of the purpose of all Revelation: He is the One Who Sends to His Servants manifest Verses (Signs) that He may lead you from the depths of Darkness into the Light. And verily Allah is to you Most Kind and Merciful. [57.9]

The Quran was sent down gradually to a prophet (pbuh) who was unlettered, i.e. the prophet himself could not read or write, hence could not be accredited as being the author. The Quran corroborates, confirms and enhances the previous Revelations, i.e. the Law (Torah) and the Gospel (New Testament). "Those who follow the apostle the unlettered prophet whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures); in the Law and the Gospel; for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil: he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. [7.157] The coming of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was foretold in the previously Revealed Books. The Quran, in turn, confirms all previous prophets and all previous Revelations. The purpose of any Revealed Book is not to create religious divide or even to claim religious superiority it is to lead mankind from darkness to light. It should be understood that theories or concepts not Revealed are manmade. Can human beings know better than their Creator? Our Creator therefore addresses and warns all people who have received Revelation: If only the people of the Book had believed and been righteous We should indeed have blotted out their iniquities and admitted them to gardens of Bliss. [5.65]

5.66 If only they had stood fast by the Law the Gospel and all the (subsequent) Revelations sent to them from their Lord they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There is from among them a party on the right course; but many of them follow a course that is evil.
Our Creator instructs the unlettered prophet:

5.67 O Apostle! Proclaim the (Message) which has been sent to you from your Lord. If you do not you would not have fulfilled and proclaimed His Mission: and Allah will defend you from men (who mean mischief). For Allah guides not those who reject faith.
What is the Mission? It is simply as a medium to deliver a guide and a healing to those who believe; and for those who believe not there is a deafness in their ears and it is blindness in their (eyes); they are (as it were) being called from a place far distant! [41.44]

5.68 Say: "O People of the Book! You have no ground to stand upon unless you stand fast by the Law the Gospel and all the Revelations that have come to you from your Lord." It is the Revelation that has come to you (O, Muhammad) from your Lord that has increased in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blasphemy. But sorrow not over (these) people without Faith.
So, who are those who believe?

5.69 Those who believe (in the Qur'an) those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures) and the Sabians and the Christians any who believe in Allah and the Last Day and work righteousness on them shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.
-------{Notes}: {1} http://bible.cc/john/1-5.htm {2} http://bible.cc/matthew/4-10.htm {3} http://bible.cc/psalms/89-15.htm {4} http://bible.cc/psalms/101-4.htm {5} http://www.satyavidya.org/component/content/article/53-vedic-vitamins/126-there-is-onlyone-god {6} http://bible.cc/luke/11-34.htm