"A.C" wrote:-
Question:-
I found the comments on Surah 112 interesting.
Could you. "altway", perhaps elaborate a little more on this?
Comment:-
I can try but you might find it rather obscure.
Here are a few more thoughts on the subject:-
As mentioned before, the verse has a sequence of concepts:-Hu, Allah,
Ahad,
Allah, Samad. I think this second Allah refers to the three previous terms
combined - the first verse connects them as aspects of the same thing. The
other verses tell us about Hu, that he is not begotten, does not beget and
is not like any thing - He is unique. These three are aspects of Unity
which
is the last term of the fourth verse, and of the Sura as it is of the
first
verse.
One could explain this as different points of view on the same thing. Or
as
an increase in perception as something hidden in the mist comes gradually
towards the observer or the observer moves gradually towards it. Or we can
think of it in the reverse order as an intensification of consciousness
as,
for instance, is illustrated symbolically by the conversion and religious
progress of Abraham is Quran 6:76-80. First he wor****ps the light in the
star, then that in the moon, then that of the sun and finally he becomes
liberated from all that has limitations.
As the Prophet (saw) said in a Hadith Qudsi (a revelation outside the
Quran): "Allah says: I was a hidden treasure, therefore, I created the
world
that I might be known"
Hu refers to the Essence which is hidden and unmanifest and unknowable. Hu
manifests firstly himself to himself as Allah (that which alone is worthy
of
wor****p). He is conscious of the fundamental Absolute Unity from which all
things derive.
A distinction is, therefore, made in thought, between the observer, the
observed and the observation which is a process of interaction between the
other two. Allah is all three. But these three have meaning only with
respect to each other. The act of Creation, derives from the Divine
Purpose
(3:191, 30:8, 23:115), is the same as the act of Knowing for Hu and is an
interaction between Hu as knower and Allah as that which is known and that
creation is One. ("Allah indeed encomp***** all things in knowledge."
65:12.
"And Our command is but one, as the twinkling of an eye." 54:50.) And He
is
the guide that brings knowledge ("He brings them forth from darkness into
light." 2:257.) As human beings are agents of Allah (2:32) and have the
Spirit of Allah in them (32:9), all this has significance for them also.
It
is their purpose and faith that is creative both in them selves and the
world. The distinction between observer, observed and observation is the
first Relativity and all human affairs can be divided into these three
categories - those concerned with facts, the truth, those concerned with
the
person, the observer and his values, and those concerned with his
meaningful
interactions.
All things, the multiplicity of creation, are dependent on Allah and that
Unity. They are parts of the whole, with a function with respect to the
whole, and they have arisen because of that function. They have no
existence
apart from that. These objects or creatures are known only because of
their
relation****p with each other, but Relativity is only known in relation to
the Absolute.
Samad is, therefore, understood in relation to Allah, which is understood
in
relation to Unity, which is understood in relation to Allah. But Allah is
wor****pped and served by the objects or creatures and, therefore, has
meaning in relation to created things. And created things have meaning
only
in relation to Allah. ("And unto Allah do prostrate whoever is in the
heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in
the
morning and the evening." 13:15. "And I have not created the jinn and
mankind except to wor****p (serve) Me." 51:56)
But the Essence is entirely independent of created things and transcends
all
things. ("Allah is altogether Independent of the worlds" 29:6 and 64:6.)
As for the controversy about whether Essence and Existence:- Existence is
simply a term that refers to that which is real and is prior to
experience.
i.e. "...Hu is the Reality...". Quran 22:62. He bestows reality on all
things ("His word is Truth" 6:74, 16:3. He created the heavens and the
earth
with truth." 16:3). There are, therefore, different levels of existence
and
these are described by the four terms. Reality is the first certainty; the
second is Consciousness (which refers to unity of awareness -"Hu is the
wise
the Aware." 6:18, 104) and the third certainty is the contents of
consciousness, the created creatures. Hu, (Allah, Ahad, Allah), Samad.
Hamid S. Aziz
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