Article appeared Friday, November 9th, 2012 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (252)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Most of us know of Leonardo Da Vinci, the painter of the most famous painting known as Mona Lisa. In addition to being the most famous painter of all time {1}, he is also said {2} to have been a man of unquenchable curiosity and feverishly inventive imagination. Let us imagine that he was now alive and we were personally introduced to him. How would we feel? Indeed, we should feel honored. Now let us take our imagination for another leap. Let us imagine that the woman in the painting was given knowledge, intelligence and emotions just like us, i.e. she is able to understand that she cannot be a randomly created being. If she herself was introduced to Leonardo, how should she feel or react? What is the level of importance would she give to Leonardo? Would you say that the woman would feel complete feelings of adoration for Leonardo? Her fame, the color on her cheeks and her beauty are all because of Leonardo. She should be willing to do anything in her world for Leonardo. Or would it be sensible for her to nurture feelings of pride and become arrogant as she is the most famous and valuable painting in the world? Would it be wise to give herself or other paintings or objects more importance than Leonardo? Continuing the mental exercise, let us put ourselves in place of the woman in the painting. In addition to the special personality we have, we love ourselves. We are also one-of-a-kind! There is no one exactly the same in the whole wide world. Who has made us unique and special? Now imagine that we come to know of the One who has made us so special. Would you say that we should similarly feel honored? In addition to adoring Him, should we do anything for Him using our intelligence and personality to demonstrate that we love Him for making us and giving the opportunity of intelligent existence? Our Creator has given us knowledge, intelligence and free-will so that we can understand the fact of our creation and are able to adore Him in return if we think it is justified. Adoring Him not only demonstrates our preference but also speaks of our justice towards Him. He has given Revelation to let us know what He wants from us. To help us learn wisdom, He relates stories and gives us analogies. Verses 18.32 18.44 of the most recent Revelation, the Quran, provide an example to illustrate this. Set forth to them the parable of two men: for one of them We provided two gardens of grapevines and surrounded them with date-palms: in between the two We placed cornfields. [18.32] Having more than the other, this man becomes proud and arrogant. So much so that He overlooks to be grateful to the Creator. (Abundant) was the produce this man had: he said to his companion in the course of a mutual argument, More wealth have I than you and more honor and power in (my following of) men. He went into his garden in a state (of mind) unjust to his soul: He said (to his soul) I feel not that this will ever perish. Nor do I deem that the Hour (of Judgment) will (ever) come: even if I am brought back to my Lord I shall surely find (there) something better in exchange. [18.34 18.36] He feels that if there is a Day of Judgment, he will be given something even better by the Creator. Why does he feel so? Does his self-importance exceed the importance of the Creator? His companion reminds him. His companion said to him in the course of the argument with him: Do you deny Him Who created you out of dust then out of a sperm-drop then fashioned you into a man?

But (I think) for my part that He is Allah my Lord and none shall I associate with my Lord. [18.37 18.38] Allah reminds us of the consequence: So his fruits (and enjoyment) were encompassed (with ruin) and he remained twisting and turning his hands over what he had spent on his property which had (now) tumbled to pieces to its very foundations and he could only say "Woe is me! Would I had never ascribed partners to my Lord and Cherisher!" [18.42] This is our Creators Guidance. Life and everything in it is a gift to enjoy from our Creator. The correct attitude is gratitude and adoring the Creator. Giving undue preference to any gift is tantamount to worshipping things other than the Creator. Therefore,

6.56 Say, I am forbidden to worship those other than Allah whom you call upon." Say, "I will not follow your vain desires: if I did I would stray from the path and be not of the company of those who receive guidance."
Power to give rests with Allah alone. If we argue, for example, that wealth is more important,

6.57 Say: "For me I (work) on a clear Sign from my Lord but you reject Him. What you would see hastened is not in my power. The Command rests with none but Allah: He declares the truth and He is the best of Judges." 6.58 Say: "If what you would see hastened were in my power the matter would be settled at once between you and me. But Allah knows best those who do wrong." 6.59 With Him are the keys of the Unseen the treasures that none knows but He. He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered) but is (inscribed) in a Record Clear.
All the gifts that each will be given have been allocated and documented it is only to test our response to Him that He has put us temporarily on earth.

6.60 It is He Who takes your souls by night and has knowledge of all that you have done by day. By day He raises you up again; that a term appointed be fulfilled; in the end to Him will be your return then will He show you the truth of all that you did. 6.61 He is the Irresistible (watching) from above over his worshippers and He sets guardians over you. At length when death approaches one of you Our angels take his soul and they never fail in their duty.
When we die,

6.62 Then are men returned to Allah their Protector the (only) reality: is not His the Command? And He is the swiftest in taking account.
-----------{Notes}: {1} http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci {2} Gardner, H. (1970). Art through the Ages. pp. 450456.