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Dr. M. OmarJuly 2012, Orlando
www.islamfromwithin.net
Contemplating the Quran in Ramadan-1Particles
Awaken to PresenceTransform your lifeworkshop series
Inspired by Treatise on the Movement of Particles, authored by B. Said Nursi. See: Nursi, Words, 30th Word.
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The aim of these workshops is
From blind-faith or
Muslim as an ID tagto confirmation
From saying “I witness the unity of God”
to actually witnessing the unity of God
From memorizing religion
to reality based inner transformation
From imagining “God up there”
to knowing and communicating with my Creator who is actually witnessed
paradigm shift
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Aiming for the Prophetic Path of Transformation
Muhammad (p): “The utmost beauty (Ihsan) is to worship God as
though you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, to be aware that He sees you”
to become certain of God’s Unity:through confirming beliefby personal witnessing/experience
This is the secret of pain-free inner transformation
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Listening to the Speech of God in Ramadan
through the meaningful universe
Let us reflect on the movement of minute particles
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ف�ي ة� �� ر ر ل ر ا ث� ف� ل� ث� ر� ل� ل� ث� ر� ر�ا � �ف �ث �ر ث� ا ف! ف� ر�ا ث! ل" �� ر �ر ف# ث$ا ر% ر� ب&ي ر� ر) ى( ر+ ر& ث, ل- � ل. ر� ر�/ا ا� ر�ا �ف# ث$ا ر# ر�ا ل0)ا ر1 ر2 ر3 ف�4 �� ر ا ر ر-ا ر)ة3 �ف5 ل�� ة� ر%ا ف2 ف�ي ��ا ر ف6ا ل0 ر5 ث2 ر$ا ر�ا ر) ر7 ف� ىر ف�3 ل0 �ر ث8 ر$ا ر�ا ر) ف9 ث� ر$ا ث� ا ف�ي ر�ا ر) ف: ر)ا ر;ا ر�/ ا�
And yet, they who are bent on denying the truth assert, “The Last Hour will never come upon us!”
Say: “Yes, by my Sustainer, it will, by Him who knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being’s perception!”
Not a particle’s weight [of whatever there is] in the
heavens or on earth escapes His knowledge; and neither is there anything smaller than that or larger,
but is all recorded in a clear record” (Quran 34:3)
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“Not a particle’s weight [of whatever there is] in the heavens or on earth escapes His knowledge”
Movement of particles (or anything smaller than that, or larger)
is coming into existence through
Absolute Divine IntelligenceAbsolute Divine KnowledgeAbsolute Divine Power
Is it so?
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Quran’s main premise is to introduce reality!
What is reality?How can we define it?
Things are happening in front of my eyes…
How are they coming into being?
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Quran asserts that reality can only be defined as:
In the name of God (bismi Allah)…
Every being comes into existence through the Source
who possesses the necessary qualities
What does this mean?
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It means:
I cannot explain any thingany momentany movement
in the universe
without attributing it to the Source
What does this mean?
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It means:
Omnipresence of the Source
is a reality
We are invited through the “Conscious Speech” of this very
Source
to witness His Divine Presence
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But the Quran does not expect me to accept this without confirming it.
The Quran wants me to
reflect on it
witness itand confirm it…
When I confirm this truth by my intellect,
I can experience it in my heart
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The more I reflect on it, the more I am transformed by this reality…
The outcome of Quranic reflection is:
Muhammad (p):“My Lord: Increase my bewilderment
in You.”
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AmazementBewilderment
LoveExcitement
Inner JoyPeace
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Example:
Movement of particles
…Not a particle’s weight [of whatever there is]
in the heavens or on earth escapes His knowledge…
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Let’s start with an example:
We see light on the water droplets.
Who is the source of light we see on the droplets?
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Input-Output Witness Model
① Look at the output:
– What qualities are necessary to create it?② Look at the input:
– Can they be the source of these properties?
③ If no: an Unseen One who possesses these qualities
must be the Doer
The water droplets do not possess the qualities that enables them to be the Source of this light
The source of the light is a being that has the qualities of the light (Although, I don’t see it)
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If I insist that the answer has to be
“observable phenomena”
I have to accept the fact that each sea droplet must possess
Sun-like abilities by itself.
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Implications of my answer:
The Presence of the Sun is witnessed on each droplet of the sea.
If the reflection of the sun was conscious,
I could communicate with through every droplet…
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One particle:
Moves to different organismsFunctions accordingly
Has functions from microcosm to microcosm
Works for a specific goal in each of the systems it is in.
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Who is the source of the particle’s activities?
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Input-Output Witness Model① Look at the output:
– What qualities are necessary to create it?
② Look at the input:
– Can they be the source of these properties?
③ If no: an Unseen One who possesses these qualities
must be the Doer
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One particle:
If I insist that the answer has to be
“observable phenomena”
I have to accept that each particle movement must possess
Absolute Intelligence by itself.
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Who is the source of light after a moment?
The water droplet itselfor
The Sun
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One particle:Who is the source of the particle’s existence after a moment?
The particle in the current momentor
Timeless Divine Intelligence
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We cannot explain any moment without the source!
the Source of every movement is He…
Continuous creation means
Continuous dependence to the Source…
Continuous Divine Presence
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Quran asserts that reality can only be defined as:
In the name of God (bismi Allah)…
Every being comes into existence through the Source
who possesses the necessary qualities
What does this mean?
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In the name of God (bismi Allah)is the explanation of reality:
In the name of BeingIn the name of KnowingIn the name of IntelligenceIn the name of PowerIn the name of Beauty
And His are All the Divine Qualities!
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Every moment
comes into existence
as a
reflection of
His Qualities…
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The Quran asks:
Do you want to meet your creator?
ContemplatePonderYou will find Him right beside you
near…Nearer to all things than themselvesNearer to you than yourself
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Coming close to God is not “let’s be spiritual now” activity…
The Quran offers an
explanation of realitythat can be confirmed by our
faculties
enable us to meet the Loving Grace…
live joyfully in Divine Presence
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The outcome of Quranic reflection is:
Muhammad (p):
“My Lord: Increase my bewilderment in You.”