God (Khoda)

[Rasputin]

Now let us suppose that we made time run backwards! If we are located at a certain distance today, then yesterday we were closer together. The day before that, we were still closer. Ultimately, where must all the galaxies have been? At a point! At the beginning! At what scientists call a singularity!

A second proof is seen in the energy sources that fuel the cosmos. The picture to the right is a picture of the sun. Like all stars, the sun generates its energy by a nuclear process known as thermonuclear fusion. Every second that passes, the sun compresses 564 million tons of hydrogen into 560 million tons of helium with 4 million tons of matter released as energy. In spite of that tremendous consumption of fuel, the sun has only used up 2% of the hydrogen it had the day it came into existence. This incredible furnace is not a process confined to the sun. Every star in the sky generates its energy in the same way. Throughout the cosmos there are 25 quintillion stars, each converting hydrogen into helium, thereby reducing the total amount of hydrogen in the cosmos. Just think about it! If everywhere in the cosmos hydrogen is being consumed and if the process has been going on forever, how much hydrogen should be left?

Suppose I attempt to drive my automobile without putting any more gas (fuel) into it. As I drive and drive, what is eventually going to happen? I am going to run out of gas I If the cosmos has been here forever, we would have run out of hydrogen long ago! The fact is, however, that the sun still has 98% of its original hydrogen. The fact is that hydrogen is the most abundant material in the universe! Everywhere we look in space we can see the hydrogen 21 cm line in the spectrum_a piece of light only given off by hydrogen. This could not be unless we had a beginning!

A third scientific proof that the atheist is wrong is seen in the second law of thermodynamics. In any closed system, things tend to become disordered. If an automobile is driven for years and years without repair, for example, it will become so disordered that it would not run any more. Getting old is simple conformity to the second law of thermodynamics. In space, things also get old. Astronomers refer to the aging process as heat death. If the cosmos is "everything that ever was or is or ever will be," as Dr. Carl Sagan is so fond of saying, nothing could be added to it to improve its order or repair it. Even a universe that expands and collapses and expands again forever would die because it would lose light and heat each time it expanded and rebounded.

The atheist's assertion that matter/energy is eternal is scientifically wrong. The biblical assertion that there was a beginning is scientifically correct.

THE CAUSE

If we know the creation has a beginning, we are faced with another logical question_was the creation caused or was it not caused? The Bible states, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Not only does the Bible maintain that there was a cause_a creation_but it also tells us what the cause was. It was God. The atheist tells us that "matter is self-existing and not created." If matter had a beginning and yet was uncaused, one must logically maintain that something would have had to come into existence out of nothing. From empty space with no force, no matter, no energy, and no intelligence, matter would have to become existent. Even if this could happen by some strange new process unknown to science today, there is a logical problem.

In order for matter to come out of nothing, all of our scientific laws dealing with the conservation of matter/energy would have to be wrong, invalidating all of chemistry. All of our laws of conservation of angular momentum would have to be wrong, invalidating all of physics. All of our laws of conservation of electric charge would have to be wrong, invalidating all of electronics and demanding that your TV set not work!! Your television set may not work, but that is not the reason! In order to believe matter is uncaused, one has to discard known laws and principles of science. No reasonable person is going to do this simply to maintain a personal atheistic position.

The atheist's assertion that matter is eternal is wrong. The atheist's assertion that the universe is uncaused and selfexisting is also incorrect The Bible's assertion that there was a beginning which was caused is supported strongly by the available scientific evidence.

[Rasputin]

THE DESIGN

If we know that the creation had a beginning and we know that the beginning was caused, there is one last question for us to answer--what was the cause? The Bible tells us that God was the cause. We are further told that the God who did the causing did so with planning and reason and logic. Romans 1:20 tells us that we can know God is

"through the things he has made." The atheist, on the other hand, will try to convince us that we are the product of chance. Julian Huxley once said:

We are as much a product of blind forces as is the falling of a stone to earth or the ebb and flow of the tides. We have just happened, and man was made flesh by a long series of singularly beneficial accidents.
The subject of design has been one that has been explored in many different ways. For most of us, simply looking at our newborn child is enough to rule out chance. Modern-day scientists like Paul Davies and Frederick Hoyle and others are raising elaborate objections to the use of chance in explaining natural phenomena. A principle of modern science has emerged in the 1980s called "the anthropic principle." The basic thrust of the anthropic principle is that chance is simply not a valid mechanism to explain the atom or life. If chance is not valid, we are constrained to reject Huxley's claim and to realize that we are the product of an intelligent God.

THE NEXT STEP

We have seen a practical proof of God's existence in this brief study. A flood of questions arise at this point. Which God are we talking about? Where did God come from? Why did God create us? How did God create us?

All of these and many more are answered in the same way_by looking at the evidence in a practical, common sense way. If you are interested in pursuing these things in more detail, we invite you to contact us. We have books, audio tapes, video tapes, correspondence courses, and booklets available and all can be obtained on loan without cost. Just request our catalog from:

[Rasputin]

The Natural Way

Allah says in his final revelation, the Quran: "Therefore turn your face steadfastly towards the true faith, away from
all that which is false, in accordance with the Pure nature with which Allah has Created people. Let there be no
altering in the laws of Allah's Creation. This is surely the true religion, but most people do not know it."
[Quran Chapter # 30 Verse # 30]
The pure nature which is mentioned in this verse is probably the most convincing proof of a divine creator to any
sincere seeker of truth. Which person can deny (atheist or otherwise) that when he/she is in dire trouble, when life
is about to be taken away from them, when the pressures are unbearable - that then do they turn to that force above
the skies. How many times are we confronted by a scenario in which the words: "Please God help me, and I promise
that Iwill always pray to you and be good." roll off our tongues with such sincerity? Every time something bad
happens, words such as these come out of the people's mouths. Yet as soon as the harm is removed the very same
people beseeching the help of their creator, turn away "And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it
is from Allah. Then, when harm touches you, unto him you cry aloud for help. Yet no sooner does he remove your
ills then some of you set up partners to their lord." [Quran Chapter # 16 Verse # 53-54]
This pure nature which every human is born with is known as the Fitrah in the Arabic language. Every human being,
man or woman is born with this natural instinct to recognise the Creator and turn to Him. This is proved by the hadith[5]
of the last messenger to mankind Muhammed (Peace and blessings be upon him) who said: "Every child is born upon
the pure fitra, it is only his parents that later turn him into a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian.[6]"[7]
In fact if humans were not influenced by their societal pressures then their belief in the Creator would be distinct
and clearly visible. But unfortunately this is not the case, and there exists in all non-Muslim societies a clear trend
to distort the nature of human beings. One of the ways in which this is done in western societies is through the
education system and its institutions. Western education is based around a whole body of secular thought which
has no place for a Creator. In science lessons kids are taught that we are the ancestors of monkeys and apes
and that this implies that we came about by pure chance.[8] In subjects such as psychology and sociology we are
taught that religion is a tool of the privileged few who oppress the downtrodden majority.[9] This form of education
has also unfortunately influenced the Muslims, and we find it very common nowadays to see the likes of the 'Abdullah's'
and the 'Fatima's' of western society proclaiming that they do not believe in God.
The Beauty of creation
Allah says in the Quran: "Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth, in the alternation of night and day, in
the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of the people, in the water which Allah sends down from the
skies reviving with it the dead earth and dispersing over it all kinds of beasts, in the change of the winds, and in the
clouds that run their appointed courses between heaven and earth: In all of this, indeed there are signs for people of
understanding."[Quran Chapter # 2 Verse #164]
SubhaanAllah![11] How beautiful and accurate this verse is. Is it not true that when we look at the world around us
we see such beauty and craftsmanship. Surely such excellence could not have come about by chance. Everything in
this world and universe runs on a set course and pattern, so how is it possible then, that by pure chance everything
in this universe was created with such skill and precision?
The wonders of nature are absolutely astounding, the wind, the rain, the hail and the snow were all products of chance,
then why is it that mankind, with all his technological know how, cannot even divert the softest of breezes which
blows through the trees in summer? The answer is obvious. All these natural elements are aspects of Allah's Creation
and he alone can control and manipulate them as he wills.
In fact the Creation of Allah is so perfect that even if we try to detect a fault in it, then we will not succeed: "Blessed
be He to Whom all sovereignty belongs; He has power over all things. He Who Created death and life that He may test
which of you is best in deed. He is the Almighty, the Oft-forgiving. He Who Created the seven heavens one above
another. You can see no fault in the Creation of the Bestower of Mercy. Turn up your eyes: Can you detect a single flaw?
Look once more, and yet again: Your sight will in the end grow humbled and weary." [Quran Chapter # 67 Verse #1-4]
It is not just the seas, the mountains, the rivers and the skies which are a proof for the existence of our Creator, but also
ourselves. Allah says in the Quran: "On the earth are signs for those of assured faith, As also in your own selves: Will
yet not then see? [Quran Chapter # 51 Verse # 20-21]
The variety of humanity is indeed amazing, black and white, tall and short, fat and thin, good and evil, man and woman
etc. etc. How many times have we considered the complex makeup of our bodies both physical and mental and found it
to be completely beyond belief. It is known that if the intestines of a human being were taken out of the body, they would
be so long that they could cover the entire area of a tennis court!
But when we think about these long intestines being inside of us, it astounds and amazes us. The human brain is thought
to be more powerful that any mainframe computer on earth, whilst the eye is said to be more complex and structured then
any telescope invented by man. The human mind is something which is still undiscovered by psychologists and
psychiatrists,and the nature of our dreams and thoughts is something which these people will probably never unravel. So
we should ask
ourselves, is it still possible for such a complex being such as ourselves, to be a mere product of chance, or rather, are we
products of a supreme and skillful creator, who has shown us that he really is Al-Khaliq?[14]
Yet despite our complicated and intricate makeup, our comparison to the Creator is not even possible. Mankind with
his level of technology has gained the impression that he is the most supreme being in this universe. Yet when we look at
examples of western society we see that these same humans who claim such superiority, cannot even maintain basic
standards of hygiene! Washing the body-parts after urinating or excreting has almost become a sin for many people in
the west, yet at the same time these people are the very same who claim technological advancement! Maybe if they
believed in a Creator, the basics of life would perchance return to them, just as they have returned to the Muslims.
The proofs for the existence of a creator are so numerous that it would take us a very long time to go through every single
one. So finally we should remember, that the creation of humanity was neither an accident, nor a development from monkey
to man. Rather it was the creation of Allah the Most High, the Most Perfect, who reminds us of the stupidity of those
who claim that He did not create us: "Were they created of nothing? or were they perchance, their own creators? or did
they create the heavens and the earth? surely they have no firm belief."[Quran Chapter # 52 Verse # 35-36]

[Rasputin]

It is in need of pointing out that this question has been asked since the time of our first conscious awareness. Even though it varies in how it is asked, no other notion is anywhere near as universally represented in the thoughts of humans.

The glaring conclusion to this ubiquitous enquiry is definitive proof that the answer is not forthcoming by normal observation. If it were, then billions of humans would have no need of asking it. Many thousands of peoples and races have made up answers to satisfy our inherent need-to-know mentally. These answers vary to such a degree, that their only commonality is in the acceptance without evidence, of the existence of a supernatural realm.

Can billions of humans be wrong in drawing conclusions based on nothing but suspect ancient stories and ?feelings? that there is indeed a ?God??

Before we answer this question, it must be remembered that the superstitious nature of humans has had us believing in many un-evidenced propositions. To name but a few, - visits by extraterrestrial life, the existence of ghosts, water divining, the reality of witches and so on and so forth. Until relatively recently, some of us believed in a Flat Earth and a 6000-year-old Universe. Many prominent persons accepted it as true that Fairies were real and that communication with the dead and astral travel were possible.

There is no doubt at all that humanity has a penchant for accepting unreasonable propositions as a matter of course. There is no proof, excepting ?feelings?, to support any of the above.

?Hold on!? I hear you say, most of those people were and are ?nutters? and not mainstream representation. This criticism can be disregarded if it is considered that until the time of Darwin, it was commonly accepted in Western philosophy, that the Earth was created by a ?God? as depicted in the Bible. This creation event was only some thousands of years past. Even though humanity was surrounded by the evidence disputing such a grand thought, it was not recognised. Why was this so?

[Rasputin]

Ockham?s razor.

The explanation is quite simple and has it origins in a William of the village of Ockham in Surrey (England) in about 1285. William of Ockham was a controversial theologian who clashed with the Pope of the day, John XXII, on various matters involving papal powers, etc. William valued the idea of parsimony (economic use of thoughts and ideas) and eventually a rule was developed that was known as Ockham?s razor. It stated, ?Plurality should not be assumed without necessity?, or, ?keep it simple?. The latter phrase in itself is a demonstration of the principle. The most likely explanation is more often than not, the correct one. In William?s day therefore, the simple answer to, ?was the Earth created 6000 ago?, was ?yes?. There was no science enough to alter that conclusion and thus it was accepted.

Ironically, William?s rule is now one of the cornerstones of science, and without it, knowledge would be burdened with all kinds of Para-normal and wild assumptive intrusion, enough to make scientific endeavour, as we know it, impossible.

St Anselm and ontological proof.

Returning to the idea of a ?God?, St. Anselm (1033 ? 1109) wrote the discourse (Proslogium), which was accepted in the 18th century as the ontological (the science of being) argument for the existence of God. It alleged the greatest being that can be thought of is ?God?. Moreover, a greater thought is that this ?God? actually exists.

The ontological argument is no longer accepted, as lesser thoughts such as the existence of Unicorns or any other imaginary concept is not proven just by being able to think of them. The simplest explanation, or using Ockham?s razor, is that these are only thoughts.

Let us now use Ockham?s razor on the other pillars that support the ?God? exists notion:

The argument of design.

The Universe, as far as all science knows, works using the four forces of nature with no variance having ever been reliably observed or recorded. Within this framework, the intricacy of quantum physics has particles not acting in accord with common-sense predictability. A velocity or position can be calculated, but not both at the same time. This demonstrates a propensity for a deeper meaning to nature than is yet understood. To conclude now that ?God? created the Universe, is akin to our forebears stating that the Earth was 6000 years old in their time. The simplest explanation is that nature is not yet fully explained and to bring a ?God? into the equation only creates undue complexity.

Scientific discovery has dispelled the flat earth theory, the earth as the centre of the universe, a young earth, miracles etc. and has changed our view of ourselves whilst pushing ?God? further and further into a position of less importance in the running of the cosmos. Why should we now stop and say that this ?God? is just over the horizon, when we already know that that horizon is melting in the light of new scientific unearthing.

It is only coincidence that we live now, as it was for those when belief had humans placed at the centre of the universe. It is against the ideal of scientific enterprise to stop suddenly and to say that all that is unknown beyond this point in history is attributable to a ?God?. William of Ockham would agree with this position.

Religious experience.

A great number of people ?feel? that there is a ?God?. Once again, using Ockham?s razor, most feelings related to the supernatural are effectively explained by childhood indoctrination. This is irrefutably supported by observation of other cultures. However, there are people who actually experience powerful perceptions of connection to a ?higher plane?.

These feelings are expressions of the way we think and can be altered by damage to the neuronic structure, physical exertion, religious fervour, by inadequate nutrition, by heat/cold and by drugs and other toxins. The brain can modify in function if we have a cold or flu, genetic flaw or if we are in pain and possibly for many other reasons.

Brains are in a continual state of change of sequence of firings. If, for example, too much carbon dioxide invades the hypothalamus, the result can be what is known as a mystical or religious experience and other effects. People can really believe they are in contact with a higher plane when this happens, and that higher plane parallels the existing cultural expectations of the location of that person. Bertrand Russell, famous Atheist, philosopher, writer and all round good guy could bring this condition on at will, once when he was riding his pushbike. LSD and other drugs can give similar effects.

It is not that long ago that the association between epilepsy and experiencing visions was unknown. Joan of Arc suffered from Temporal Lobe epilepsy, and she fought and died for her illusions. This is another example of the intricate workings of the brain.

The following extract is of interest along these lines:

From "Beginning the World" by Karen Armstrong - former nun.

[Rasputin]

"My neurologist once told me that people with temporal lobe epilepsy are very often intensely religious. Certainly just before I have a grand mal fit I have a 'vision' of such peace, joy and significance that I can only call it God. What does this say about the whole nature of religious vision? Certain episodes in the lives of the saints have acquired a new meaning for me. When Theresa of Avila had her three-day vision of hell, was she simply having a temporal lobe attack? The horrors she saw are similar to those I have experienced, but in her case informed by the religious imagery of her time. Like other saints who have 'seen' hell she describes an appalling stench, which is part of an epileptic aura. Is it possible that the feeling I have had all my life that something - God, perhaps? - is just over the horizon, something unimaginable but almost tangibly present, is simply the result of an electrical irregularity in my brain? It is a question that can't yet be answered, unless it be that God, if He exists, could have created us with that capacity for Him, glimpsed at only when the brain is convulsed. What I can say, however, is that if my 'visions' have sometimes let me into 'Hell' they have also given me possible intimations of a Heaven, which I would not have been without."

The question has to be asked, what relationship to a higher plane is one that is culturally dependant and only happens when the brain is interfered with in some manner? A further question; is it fair play by a higher entity or whatever, to only allow this to happen to a minority of people with abnormalities of, or with the induction of, foreign matter into the brain? A further question is, would some entity expect that we should take any notice of them and follow the Joan of Arc?s to our deaths?

It would be prudent at the least to suspect these reported ?otherworldly? adventures?. Some people may well think they are real, but we should know better than believing them to be any more than the brain responding to inputs beyond what can be classed as normal.

I would add here, the evidence seems to be overwhelming that hallucination is a common occurrence, and using Ockham?s razor, the most likely cause is not a higher plane. Of course, we can never know for sure, but a higher plane would not expect the rest of us to accept that everyone who has a brain surge to be in direct contact with it. If people believe they have made contact, then so be it. Conversely, if the other mentioned explanations are not considered and evaluated to be a possible cause, then their story should be automatically accepted as incredulous.

Subjectivity and objectivity.

The convenient stance that all or part of consciousness is subjective (existing in the mind), allows humans to believe in anything they wish. The belief in ?God? can be one of those desires. It is not too contentious to suggest that objective thought (external to the mind), although easily overridden by repetitious and authoritative fantasy, is the way we interpret external stimuli.

Other culture examination exposes human capacity for self-delusion in this area of our nature.

We have now arrived at subjective and objective interpretation by the brain. The way we all perceive the world can be classed as ?subjective consciousness?, but I would add in haste, it is the only ?subjective consciousness? we have to work with. What we know about any given object is really only imagery in the mind. Can such a mental picture be relied upon?

Let us say the object is a dead and rotting animal. The eyes can see it. The nose can smell it, we may be able to hear the blowflies buzzing around it, and we could feel it and we could taste it, if wished. Five different senses telling us the same message cannot be lightly dismissed.

Those five senses are our survival technique and if they are sending our brain incorrect messages, our lives can be placed in jeopardy. The commonality of human experience in everyday occurrence does give weight towards our senses perceiving an objective reality in common. That is fairly convincing evidence to those that value the power of reason.

We must use this reasoning power to make reasonable assertions about our own existence, the existence of others and all else. This we have been doing ever since scrambling down from an arboreal way of life. (Maybe even before this) If this ?subjective? reasoning can be objectively quantified as creating more harm than good, then it must be altered. It must be brought into line with that which our senses are telling us.

Ockham?s razor is not at variance in these matters, indeed, a mish-mash of ideas will develop if this imperative suffers a non-too strict adherence. A resulting capacity to complicate thinking processes can then produce a ?God?, but it is only one of internal construct.

The already mentioned, Bertrand Russell, summed up the aforesaid very concisely: ?To save the world requires faith and courage: faith in reason, and courage to proclaim what reason shows to be true.?

Biblical reliability.

Many derive a large support for the belief in a ?God? from the New Testament. The story of Jesus as the Son of ?God? is the lynchpin of Christianity.

However, there are no eyewitness accounts to the supposed life of Jesus. It appears that the four known Gospels were taken from the accounts of Paul. Paul never met Jesus. There is no credible ex-Bible supporting evidence for the miraculous events of this period. It is all very suspicious hearsay, full of inconsistency and inaccuracy mixed with made-up astounding occurrences not recorded elsewhere. The alleged proceedings took place in a time of total superstition when ?messiah?s? were a dime a dozen. The people were scientifically ignorant and prone to harsh Roman rule and were in need of reprise from their situation. Imagine for a moment if on the touted death of Jesus, the dead Saints rose from their graves and mixed with the population. The Romans would have their version of the CIA investigate this wonder in an effort to make their armies invincible to death. Why have we not read about this in history? Walking on water and feeding the multitudes etc. would have evoked the same result.

It was not until the second Council of Nicaea in 325 CE (Common Era) that Jesus was declared divine and this done by force of vote by the murderous Constantine. The interference to the Gospels was a result, with many being left out to promote an image that was acceptable to the authorities. Since then, the Bible has been altered to suit in similar fashion. This is to be expected, and again Ockham?s razor is in total harmony.

Conclusion.

The entirety above can be recognised in other societies but hidden in our own. Such is the power of selective imagination, stirred on by self-interest, mortal-fear and childhood indoctrination.

The requirement of absolute proof that ?God? does not exist, as evidence that she/he/it does, is a spurious religiously based argument. If reasoned thinking moves away from conclusions drawn from the highest probability, it enters the domain of wishful thinking where any proposition can be accepted.

A full and proper knowledge of human nature coupled with the evidence of science and history, are in complete and unambiguous accord that the answer to the question: ?Does ?God? exist?, is a definitive ? ?no?.

[Rasputin]

Spiritual evolution is the philosophical, theological, esoteric or spiritual idea that nature and human beings and/or human culture evolve along a predetermined cosmological pattern or ascent, or in accordance with certain pre-determined potentials.

This predeterminism of evolution concept is also complemented by the idea of a creative impulse in human beings, known as epigenesis.

Within this broad definition, theories of spiritual evolution are very diverse. They may be cosmological (describing existence at large), personal (describing the development of the individual), or both. They can be holistic (holding that higher realities emerge from and are not reducible to the lower), idealist (holding that reality is primarily mental or spiritual) or nondual (holding that there is no ultimate distinction between mental and physical reality). All of them can be considered to be teleological to a greater or lesser degree.

Philosophers, scientists, and educators that have proposed theories of spiritual evolution include Nader Angha, Schelling, Hegel, Max Théon, Henri Bergson, Sri Aurobindo, Jean Gebser, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Arthur M. Young, Edward Haskell, E. F. Schumacher, Erich Jantsch, Clare W. Graves, Aristotle, Alfred North Whitehead, Terrence McKenna, P.R. Sarkar, and Ken Wilber. These theorists tend (for the most part) to be non-materialistic or non-reductionistic, and thus out of the intellectual mainstream. However what counts as "mainstream" is a matter of perspective. For instance, the Left and Right Hegelians had more impact on the world than almost any other group including their internecine conflict in World War II. In short, Hegel's influence as the founder of metaphysical positivism, systems theory, and evolution is definitely part of the "mainstream." Also "geist" in German is often translated as "spirit" but for many German writers it does not mean a mystical, supernatural apparition or a quest for nirvana. Another example is Franz Brentano (a father of modern cognitivism), Edmund Husserl and other Neo-Kantians' use of the term "intentionality" (which means immanent objectivity or direct positivity) but which is often wrongly thought to mean an author's intent. Geist suffers the same fate in English translation. This is especially true of Jean Gebser and other phenomenologists who use the term "geist" merely to mean consciousness or a mode of awaring. One must read these sources for oneself in order to avoid some of the distortions prevalent in the "New Age" community. Lumping writers together is problematic. For instance, Whitehead is very different in approach and interests from Aurobindo.

[Rasputin]

Many premodern cosmologies and esoteric systems of thought are based on an emanationist view of reality. If the Cyclic view is temporal, then emanation is a non-temporal precursor to the theory of spiritual evolution.

According to this paradigm, Creation proceeds as an outpouring or even a transformation in the original Absolute or Godhead. The Supreme Light or Consciousness descends through a series of stages, gradations, worlds or hypostases, becoming progressively more material and embodied, before finally turning around to return to the One, retracing its steps through spiritual knowledge, contemplation and ascent.

A supreme example of this form of thinking is the Neoplatonism of Plotinus and his successors. Other examples and interpretations might be found in Kashmir Shaivism and Tantra in general, Gnosticism, Sufism, and Kabbalah. The Hindu idea of the Chakras might also considered here as the "microcosmic" counterpart of macrocosmic involution and evolution (the Yogi raises the Kundalini or life force through and thus transcends each chakra in turn, until he reaches the crown chakra and liberation (Avalon).

[Rasputin]

The Great Chain of Being
The concept of the Great Chain of Being developed by Plato and Aristotle whose ideas were taken up and synthesised by Plotinus. Plotinus in turn heavily influenced Augustine's theology, and from there Aquinas and the Scholastics. The Great Chain of Being was an important theme in Renaissance and Elizabethan thought, had an under-acknowledged influence on the shaping of the ideas of the Enlightenment and played a large part in the worldview of 18th century Europe. And while essentially a static worldview, by the 18th and early 19th century it had been "temporalized" by the concept of the soul ascending or progressing spiritually through the successive rungs or stages, and thus growing or evolving closer to God. (Lovejoy 1936) It also had at this time an impact on theories of biological evolution.

E. F. Schumacher, author of Small is Beautiful, has recently proposed a sort of simplified Great Chain of Being, based on the idea of four "kingdoms" (mineral, vegetable, animal, human) (Schumacher, 1977). Schumacher rejects modernist and scientific themes, his approach recalling the universalist orientation of writers like Huston Smith (Smith 1976), and quite likely contributing to (unless the latter developed his ideas completely independently) Ken Wilber's "holonomic" hierarchy or "Great Nest of Being" (Wilber 2000).

[jjbb]

Gofte go ba KHODA

خوابيده بودم ؛
در خواب كتاب گذشته ام را باز كردم و روزهاي سپري شده عمرم را برگ به برگ مرور كردم . به هر روزي كه نگاه مي كردم ، در كنارش دو جفت جاي پا بود. يكي مال من و يكي مال خدا . جلوتر مي رفتم و روزهاي سپري شده ام را مي ديدم . خاطرات خوب ، خاطرات بد ، زيباييها ، لبخندها ، شيرينيها ، مصيبت ها، ... همه و همه را مي ديدم

اما ديدم در كنار بعضي برگها فقط يك جفت جاي پا است . نگاه كردم ، همه سخت ترين روزهاي زندگي ام بودند . روزهايي همراه با تلخي ها ، ترس ها ، درد ها، بيچارگي ها .
با ناراحتي به خدا گفتم : «روز اول تو به من قول دادي كه هيچ گاه مرا تنها نمي گذاري . هيچ وقت مرا به حال خود رها نمي كني و من با اين اعتماد پذيرفتم كه زندگي كنم . چگونه ، چگونه در اين سخت ترين روزهاي زندگي توانستي مرا با رنج ها ، مصيبت ها و دردمندي ها تنها رها كني ؟ چگونه ؟
خداوند مهربانانه مرا نگاه كرد . لبخندي زد و گفت : فرزندم ! من به تو قول دادم كه همراهت خواهم بود . در شب و روز ، در تلخي و شادي ، در گرفتاري و خوشبختي .
من به قول خود وفا كردم
هرگز تو را تنها نگذاشتم
هرگز تو را رها نكردم
حتي براي لحظه اي
آن جاي پا كه در آن روزهاي سخت مي بيني ، جاي پاي من است ، وقتي كه تو را به دوش كشيده بودم
____

[Rasputin]

نخست، دنیایی که وجود آن رادقیقا احساس میکنیم (همین زمین، ستارگان و سیاره ها) را برای سادگی دنیای آشکار می نامیم. دنیای آشکارهمانی هست که خود را در آن می بینیم، درک میکنیم، زندگی عادی خود را انجام می دهیم، روابط فیزیکی، شیمیایی و غیره را در آن کشف میکنیم، از عظمت و پیچیدگی آن گاهی بشدت شگفت زده می شویم و …. رابط بین ما با این دنیا احساسات و تفکرات ما هستند. گاهی موضوعاتی مبهم در همین دنیای آشکار مطرح می شود. مانند اینکه آیا کسان دیگری غیر ما در در این دنیا زندگی می کنند یا خیر. اگر آری کجا؟ سیاره های دوردست یا در همین نزدیکی ما؟ ماهیت آنها چیست؟ و پرسشهای دیگر.
ولی آیا ما تنها همین دنیای آشکار را داریم و یا ممکن است دنیاهای موازی دیگری هم باشند؟ برای روشن شدن مطلب می توان به نمونه هایی از دنیاهای ساده ای که در بازی های رایانه ای ساخته می شوند اشاره کرد. یک بازی رایانه ای می تواند ما را به داخل خود ببرد. گاهی پیروزی در آن طعم پیروزی می دهد و شکست هم طعم شکست. هنگامی که شخص متمرکز بر بازی است واقعا خود را درون محیط بازی می بیند و شرایط محیط بازی را درک میکند. بنابراین شخص وارد یک دنیای دیگری به نام دنیای مجازی و کامپیوتری شده است. حال هر چقدر این بازی پیشرفته تر و با کیفیت بالاتری باشد، فرد خود را بیشتر درون این دنیای مجازی احساس می کند. گاهی هم افراد با هم وارد یک دنیای کامپیوتری میشوند (مانند بازیهای شبکه ای) و بنابراین یک جامعه ی کوچک را درون این دنیای مجازی تشکیل می دهند. (می توانید به متن "دنیای مجازی و هدف" نیز مراجعه کنید). نکته مهم در این دنیاهای کامپیوتری این است که همگی زیر مجموعه ای از این دنیای آشکار هستند و بنابراین تابع قوانین آن. گاهی این دنیاهای کامپیوتری در حین اینکه همگی زیر مجموعه ای از این دنیای آشکار هستند ولی کاملا از هم مستقلند و سیستم جداگانه ای دارند و البته گاهی هم رابطه ها و پیوندهایی نیز میانشان ممکن است برقرار باشد. هنگامی که به این دنیاهای کامپیوتری نگاه میکنیم ممکن است برخی از آنها بسیار پیچیده باشند ولی هنگام مقایسه در مقابل دنیای آشکار عملا ناچیز به نظر می آیند.
حال آیا ممکن است که خود این دنیای آشکار نیز زیر مجموعه ای از یک دنیای دیگر باشد؟ و یا اینکه دنیاهای مستقل و مجزای دیگری هم وجود داشته باشند که هیچ رابطه ی خاصی با این دنیای آشکار نداشته باشند؟ آیا ما تنها جزیی از این دنیای آشکار هستیم و یا اینکه در دنیاهای دیگر هم وجود داریم؟
برای احتمال دادن وجود دنیاهای دیگر کافی است به خودمان نگاه کنیم. با نگاهی به خود متوجه ی داشتن "درک از وجودمان" می شویم که در متنهای پیشین به عنوان روح نامگذاری شد (برای توضیح بیشتر می توانید به متنهای "انسان = ربات + روح" و "درک از وجود" مراجعه نمایید). این روح و یا درک از خویشتن به حدی پیچیده است که نمی توان آن را جزیی از دنیای آشکاری که میشناسیم بدانیم. نکته ی جالب دیگر این است که هر چقدر توجه ما به دنیای آشکار کمتر شود (مانند دور کردن تمرکز از احساست و فعالیتهای مغزی (یا نوعی مدیتیشن)) بیشتر متوجه روح مان و یا همان درک از خویشتن میشویم. پس قویا به نظر میاید که این روح کاملا جزیی از دنیای آشکار نیست چرا که به هیچ وجه قابل تعریف و یا حتی حدس زدن در مورد ماهیت آن بر پایه ی دنیای آشکار نمی باشد. این یک نمونه برای احتمال دادن بیشتر بر وجود دنیاهای دیگر به غیر از دنیای آشکار می باشد که ما احتمالا جزی از آنها هستیم (موارد دیگری نیز برای تایید این ادعا می تواند وجود داشته باشند).
حال این موضوعها مطرح می شوند که دنیاهای دیگر چگونه اند؟ موازی و مستقل؟ تودرتو، وابسته، و یا بصورت زیر مجموعه ای از یکدیگر؟ و شاید مخلوطی از همه ی موارد…؟ در نهایت آن مجموعه مادری که شامل همه دنیاها هست را دنیای مادر می نامیم. هیچ چیز خارج دنیای مادر نیست و این دنیا کاملترین است. هر چه که هست از دنیاها گرفته تا ما و خدا(یان) احتمالی و غیره همگی داخل این دنیای مادر می باشند. شاید دنیای آشکار ما در مقابل این دنیای مادر هیچ باشد (همانطور که برخی دنیاهای کامپیوتری در مقابل دنیای آشکار تقریبا هیچند). تقریبا کسی دنیاهای کامپیوتری را خیلی جدی نمی گیرید. برخی دنیاهای کامپیوتری حتی به راحتی با قطع برق نابود و با بازگشت برق از نو متولد می شوند. آیا دنیای آشکار ما هم این چنین است؟ هنگام غوطه ور شدن در دنیای کامپیوتری ما جزیی از آن حساب خواهیم شد، ولی با این وجود همچنان بطور قویتری جزیی از دنیای آشکار نیز هستیم. این رابطه میان این دنیای آشکار و دنیای مادر نیز می تواند وجود داشته باشد. به عبارت دیگر هر چند ما در دنیای آشکار خود را درک می کنیم و جزیی از آنیم ولی در عین حال به طور قویتری جزیی از دنیاهای بالاتری هم باشیم.
کلا پرسشها و ابهامات پیچیده و فراوانی در مورد رابطه ی ما با دنیاهای دیگر و یا رابطه ی میان خود دنیاها با هم می تواند پیش بیاید، که البته این متن تنها بیشتر برای مطرح کردن اصل موضوع بوده است تا تحلیل تئوریهای موجود.

[Rasputin]

Who created God?

As human beings, we understand things to always have a beginning. We know our universe had a beginning, our earth, and humankind's very existence. Then, time elapses and things run down and die. Nothing is eternal in this world we live in, because time exists. That's why we always conceptualize things having a beginning, because time demands it. Since this is so, the question naturally arises, "Then who created God, if all things have a beginning?"

The important thing to note here is that nothing is eternal within the parameters of time. However, God is not within the parameters of time since He is the very Creator of it. God is the author of time. Before time was created, nothing was affected by it. Since God is outside of time, and He is not affected by it, that means He always has been, and always will be; He is eternal. Scripture affirms this fact.

Revelation 1:8 says, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." And Malachi 3:6 records the Lord as saying, "I the LORD do not change..." These two verses substantiate the claim that the Lord is unaffected by time, as well as being eternal and uncreated.

Though it is difficult, probably even near impossible, for us to fully comprehend things outside of a time frame, we must realize that the Lord will forever be as He always was, and is now. He had no beginning, and He has no end.

The question of who created God seems to be less perplexing when we understand that time and its effects do not apply to the uncreated, eternal God who was the very author of time itself.

[Rasputin]

Allâh - The Name of God in the Holy Qur'ân

I alone am Allâh. There cannot be, is no other and will never be One for worship but Me." (20:14)

His verses (Ayât) in the Holy Qur'ân have passed the judgement that He is Allâh - Glory be to Him, there is no other Deity but Allâh - He alone possesses this Name, not shared by any other. He is the only Presence that comprehends all presences (al-Wajûd al Jâmi‘). All things in the universe come under the sway of this All-Comprehensive Name.

Allâh is the mighty name of the Self-Existing and Self-Sufficient Being Who comprises all perfect attributes, Who is free from every weakness and defect, is alone worthy of worship, is without partner or peer and is the source of all Love and Grace. Unlike the word "god" in Arabic, the word Allah is never used for any other object or being. It is a substantive name, neither attributive nor descriptive and is inclusive of all His other names and attributes and has primacy over all other titles.

When Moses received his Divine mission he was addressed in the following words:


"Moses! Surely I am, Allâh, the Lord of the worlds" (28:30, 27:9)

In these verses the Lord of the worlds, reveals Moses Who is speaking to him. The word Allâh is accordingly a proper name, whereas the "Lord of all the worlds" (Rabbul-Alamîn), is His first and foremost title. Allâh is a personal name (Ism al-Dhât) applied to the Supreme Being and distinguished from all other names which are called Asmâ’ al-Sifât, or names denoting attributes of God.

In the technical vocabulary of linguistics, the word Allâh is Jâmid, that is, it is not derived from any other word. In the pronunciation of Allâh, the letter ‘L’ is stressed. The word Allâh is not a construction of al-ilâh as some people think, but a different and an independent word. The first two letters Al in the word Allâh are an integral, inseparable part of the word. They do not denote the definite article Al of Arabic, which is equivalent to the English ‘the’. In Arabic, the prefix Al is added before the noun to emphasize the word in the sense of 'most' or 'all', for example al-Rahmân - the Most Gracious. Sîbwaih, the great grammarian, and Khalîl, the great linguistic, say, “Since Al in the beginning of the word Allâh is inseparable from it, so it is a simple substantive, not derived from any other word.”

If Al in Allâh were an additional prefix, the common exclamation yâ Allâh, (O Allâh!), would not be permitted according to the rules of Arabic grammar, as the form yâ al-ilâh or yâ al-Rahmân are not permissible in Arabic. Moreover, this supposition would mean that there were different gods - âlihah (plural of ilâh), one of which became gradually known as al-ilâh and was then contracted into Allâh. This supposition is not correct. Allâh has always been the name of the Eternal Being (Hughes: Dictionary of Islam), nor has the word Allâh ever been applied to anyone else but the Divine Being. The pagan Arabs had numerous ilâhs or gods, but none of them was ever called Allâh.

This being the proper name of the Supreme Being has therefore no parallel or equivalent in any other language of the world. The English word ‘god’ is applied to any religious object of worship. Most probably it is related to ‘good’ and origins from heathen mythologies. Jehovah, which is the Aramaic or Hebrew expression Ya Howâ, literally means most closely ‘O! That’ or ‘O! Thou’ used to address a Deity, the emphasis is on Huwa which is to emphasize an Existence, therefore it can hardly be a proper name. The Hindus give their senior deity the name of Par-Mâtma (the Super Soul), Par-Barham (the Super and the Great), Par-Mishwar (the Great King or Owner), The Parsis give their supreme God the name of Yazdan and Hermes. In the Sikh religion, their great Deity is called Satt which means the Truth. The use of Jehova in the New Testament by the Witnesses of Jehova is a new invention. In the original Greek version and older versions of the New Testament this name was never used and Jesus never employed the name "Jehova". Although most Christians are unaware of it, the Aramaic speaking Jesus also used the word Allâh (or ‘Allaha’). Christians speaking the Semitic languages still use it. In the Greek and Latin writings this was then rendered to theos or deos, the generic words for ‘god’ in these languages. These words are derived from Dyeus, the name of a heathen god. The French ‘dieu’ or the English ‘deity’ are also etymologically based on that word.

The names found in other languages for the Supreme Being are either attributive or descriptive and can be used in the plural and or feminine forms (e.g. gods, goddess) whereas the word Allâh cannot be translated and can never be used in plural form nor in any other form nor this word has any root. Allâh says:


"Do you know any other name (which comprises all the Attributes of perfection), and don't you know that there is no one who is called the same." (19:65)

People accept the name of a Deity when it is called in their language, but as soon as the name used by other people is used for their Deity, their is the feeling of prejudice and rejection. The Holy Qur'ân has pointed out this behaviour in the words: And when it is said to them, 'Prostrate to the Most Gracious (Rahmân)', they say, 'What thing is this, the Most Gracious?' (25:60). People have an individual concept of their Lord, which they ascribe to Him and in which they seek Him. So long as a Deity is presented to them which fits into their fancy and concept, they recognize Him and affirm Him, whereas when the Reality is presented in any other form with another name, they deny Him, flee from Him and treat Him in an improper manner, at the same time thinking they are acting properly and fittingly.

The Holy Qur’ân has not presented a new Deity, but has presented the same Eternal Being Who has always been present in the illuminated human heart, in human conscience (30:8 and in the heavens and the earth, Who is visible in the mirror of the laws of nature and is discernible in the book of nature (30:30). He is the same God who was the God of Abraham, Ismaîl, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Rama, Confucius and all other prophets known or unknown to us (2:4; 2:132-133,136: 3:84; 40:78; 42:13). He is the Being who combined in Himself all the perfect Attributes and is free from all imperfections and is the very apex of beauty and beneficence.
He proclaims in he Holy Qur'ân:

[Rasputin]

“Allâh, there is no other, cannot be and will never be One worthy of worship but He, the Ever Living, Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining. Slumber overtakes Him not, nor sleep. Whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth belongs to Him. Who is there that will intercede with Him, save by His leave? He knows their future and their past; and they encompass nothing of His knowledge (of the things) except of such (things) as He Himself pleases (to tell). His knowledge and sovereignty extends over the heavens and the earth and the care of them both tires Him not. He is the Supreme, the Great” (2:255).

“There is nothing like Him (He is beyond all comparison), and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing”. (42:11)

“Say, ‘Is there anyone of your (associated) partners (with God) who starts the cycle of creation and then continues it?’ Say, ‘It is Allâh who starts the cycle of creation and then continues it. Wither then are you being deviated away (from this fact)?’ Ask, ‘Is there any of your (associated) partners (with God) who lead to the truth (through revelation)?’ Say, ‘It is Allâh alone Who leads to the truth. Is then He who leads to the truth more worthy to be followed or he (assumed to be god or a son of god) that cannot find the way (himself) unless he be guided? What, then, is the matter with you? How do you judge?” (10:34)

He is Allâh, Glory be to Him, and there is no other God but Allâh. This is the only Presence that comprehends all presences (al-Wajûd al Jâmi‘), and no worshipper of God worships anything but this Presence (al-Wajûd). There is nothing like Him (He is beyond all comparison), and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing and He has enjoined us to worship none but Him.

Whatever is in the heavens and the earth declares the glory of Allâh. And He is the All-Mighty the All-Wise. The kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. He gives life and causes death and He is the Possessor of power to do all that He will. He is (from) the very First (there was nothing before Him), and (He will exist to) the Last (there will be nothing after Him), and when nothing remains He will remain (He being an eternal Being). He is the Supreme Being (subordinate to no one). And (whereas He comprehends everything) He is Incomprehensible. He has full knowledge of every thing. (57:1-3). The physical vision comprehends Him not, but He comprehends all visions, He is the All-Subtle Being (incomprehensible and imperceptible), the All-Aware. (6:103)

He is Incomprehensible, and nothing is like him, therefore the knowledge of Allâh's Reality (His Essence, Haqîqat al-Dzât), cannot be known through logical proof (Dalîl) or rational considerations (Burhân Aql&#238. Revelation is indispensable as a proof of His existence. Nor can any definition or description grasp Him.

He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. ‘Prior’ to that, He was and nothing was with Him, and He is now, after He has created everything, as He was. Of course, to be precise, the temporal word ‘prior’ is only well-defined in time and can strictly speaking not refer to anything ‘before’ the creation of the universe, which includes the creation of time. So in fact, this is just another way of saying He is independent of the heavens and the earth. He possesses all His Attributes without the need to refer to the worlds He brought into existence, and no new Attribute of Him came into existence. In other words, the way He describes Himself and the names by which He names Himself and by which His creatures call Him now exist independently from the initiation of the creation. When He desired the existence of the universe, He originated the "worlds" from His sacred desire (al-Irâdat al-Muqaddas) in accordance with His knowledge as He calls Himself al-‘Alîm- the One Who possesses all and perfect knowledge of everything.

He is Rabb al ‘âlamîn - the Creator and Nourisher to perfection of all the worlds.‘Alamîn translated here as ‘all the worlds’ has its root in ‘alama which means to know. Thus ‘Alamîn are the means by which one knows the Creator. Hence ‘alamîn signify all forms of creation by which the Creator is known. About the origin of creation we read:


He directed Himself towards the space. Behold! It was (like) a mass of gas (dust), and He said to it (- the space) and to the world, ‘Come both of you (in obedience to Me) willingly or unwillingly.’ They said, ‘We obey you with all our will.’ (41:11)

According to Alî Ibn Abî Tâlib and other people of reflection (Ashâb al-Fikr), "Dust" is the first universal reality. Then Allâh manifested Himself in theophany His Light to that "Dust". Within this "Dust" was the entire world in its potentiality and readiness (Salâhiya) and each thing in the "Dust" - living or non living, received from His Light according to its peparedness (Isti'dâd) and potentiality, just as the corners of a room receive light according to their distance from the lamp. He says He is the Light, and then He compares Himself with a Lamp:


Allâh is the Extensive Light of the heavens and the earth. His light can be compared to a (lustrous) pillar on which is a lamp. The lamp is inside a crystal globe. The globe of glass is as if it were a glittering star. It (- the lamp) is lit by (the oil of) a blessed olive tree, which belongs neither to the east nor to the west (rather welds the whole world in its fold). Its oil is likely to glow forth of itself even if no fire has touched it. This (lamp) is a combination of many lights over and over. Allâh guides towards His light whoever desires (to be enlightened). Allâh sets forth excellent parables for the people, and Allâh alone has full knowledge of every thing (24:35).

Within this "Dust" nothing is nearer to the Light in reception than Mohammad followed by his followers.


(This light is now lit) in houses, which Allâh has ordained to be exalted and His name be commemorated in them. Therein (are such as) glorify Him in the mornings and the evenings,
Men, whom neither trade nor sale distracts from exalting (the name of) Allâh and from the observance of Prayer and from presenting Zakât (- purifying dues) regularly. They dread the day when the hearts and the eyes will be in a state of agitation and anguish;
With the result that Allâh will give them the reward according to their fairest deeds and will (even) give them much more by His grace and bounty. And Allâh does provide without measure to whom He will. (22:36-38

The cosmos is the sensory realm, and its Ruler is veiled. That is why He describes Himself as being hidden (al-Bâtin) in veils of darknesses (Zulumât) and in veils of light (Nûr). The cosmos cannot perceive Him nor He will ever be unveiled, thus this Present Reality will never be known by an originated thing completely. That is why He says:


"It is not given to a human being that Allâh speaks to him except by direct revelation (Wah&#238 or from behind a veil or by sending messengers who reveal to the people what He pleases by His command" (42:51)

God’s speech is His knowledge, which he imparts to some of His selected servants, who come to know Him through His speech (Kalâm). This is the most definite and absolute knowledge (Ilm al-Yaqîn), which lies beyond the stage of intellect and cannot be attained by reflections and considerations. This knowledge of Him is granted only to prophets (Ambîya), and to His friends (Awliy&#226 and to the "people of unveiling" (Ahl al-Kashûf).

The originated things have no part in Divine Self-Sufficiency and Independence. His Self-Sufficiency demands that He does not depend on His creation in anyway, therefore He is not in need of any son or a daughter.

The main theme of the Holy Qur'ân, the one that predominates over all other themes is that of Oneness of Being (Wahdat al-Wajûd). This concept of Allâh, which the Holy Qur'ân presents to us is all-embracing, all other concepts are facets of this. He describes Himself in Surah Ikhlâs: "He Allâh is One in His Unique Self. He is the Eternal Refuge in respect to our dependence on Him. He begets none in His identity and relation to us, nor is He begotten, and He has no equal". We on our par part beget and are begotten, for this we depend on Him. So He describes Himself and isolates His Essence in the words "Allâh is One". Indeed Allâh has given us no better description of Him. We know Him through His Attributes and the multiplicity of His Attributes are well known.

[Rasputin]

Allâh manifests Himself to His creation through His Divine Names and Attributes, and they are many. There are those of His Names that make Him known as the Knower, the Powerful, the Hearing, the Seeing, the Living, the Responder and the Thankful. There are the Names of description like the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden, and there are Names that make known His Works, such as the Creator, the Provider, the Shaper. There are Names of Incomparability and His Omnipotence. His Attributes are of different ranks (Marâtib). The following paragraphs are an attempt to explain some of His most beautiful Names and Attributes.



3.1 Four Basic Attributes Of Allâh


All types of perfect and true praise belong to Allâh alone, the Creator and Nourisher to perfection (Rabb) of all the worlds, the Most Gracious (Rahmân), the Ever Merciful (Rahîm), Master (Mâlik) of the Day of Requital. (1:1-4, 2:163)

The Holy Qur'ân begins with the name of Allâh and the name Allâh appears in the very beginning of the opening chapter (al-Fâtihah) of the Holy Qur’ân. This is followed by Rabb; no other attribute of Allâh is mentioned so frequently. Next to Rabb are the attributes Rahmân and Rahîm and finally Mâlik. The name Allâh is found in the Holy Book some 2697 times, the name Rabb occurs 978 times, the name Rahmân and Rahîm 376 times.



3.1.1 Rabb al âlamîn - Creator, Sustainer, Nourisher

Rabb al âlamîn is the first attribute of Allâh. He is not Abb (Father), rather Rabb of the nations, creations, worlds and all kinds of created beings and things and their classes collectively (- al âlamîn as the Holy Qur'ân says). According to Lisân al-‘Arab, Tâj al-Urûs and Mufradât-i-Râghib, the three most authentic lexicons, the Arabic word Rabb has many connotations, as Master, Chief, Determiner, Provider, Sustainer, Rewarder, Perfecter, Ruler, Creator, Maintainer, Reposer of Properties in things of nature, Developer, Framer of Rules and Laws of the Growth of Things, Regulizer, Foster of things in such a manner as to make them attain one condition after another until they reach their goal of perfection and completion, Arranger of different stages through which they have to pass on their way to completion, Author of all existence Who has sole title to it with no one having any share in it. Thus the word Rabb signifies dozens of processes which a thing passes through in the course of creation and evolution before it reaches its final development. These meanings have not been forced on this word Rabb. All standard lexicons of the Arabic language speak of all of them when they give the meaning of the root Raba. In English the word Rabb is generally translated as Lord, but this word can not at all convey the real significance of the original Arabic word Rabb. The process of creation embodied in the word Rabb covers, of course, with the exception of the Creator Himself, every existing thing whether in the realm of spirit or in the realm of bodies, whether of earthly creation or other celestial objects.

As Rabb al âlamîn He has provided all the material means for the physical requirements of all kinds for all creatures collectively and without discrimination, as food, grains, air, water, light and so many other things:


Would you really disbelieve in Him (- the Rabb) Who created the earth in two aeons? And do you set up compeers with Him? This is the Lord (- the Rabb) of the worlds. He placed therein (- in the earth) firm mountains rising above (its surface) and showered it with His blessings and placed in it various provisions according to a set measure, (provisions to which) all those who require them have equal rights, (and all this He created) in four aeons. (41:9-10)

All creation bears His signature. He is the Rabb of the world of elements and command, since elements preceded from command and compounds are fashioned: Then He directed Himself towards the space. Behold! It was (like) a mass of gas. And He ( - The Lord, Rabb) said to it (- the space) and to the earth, ‘Come both of you (in obedience to Me) willingly or unwillingly.’ They said, ‘We obey you with all our will.’ (41:11)

He commands not only the formation of compounds from elements, but also commands the reversal of process, commanding the formation of elements from compounds.


Do those who disbelieve not see that the heavens and the earth were (once) one mass all closed up, then We rent them apart. And it is from water that We created all life. Will they not believe? And We have made firm mountains on the earth so that they may be a source of benefit and provision for the people and lest it should quake with them. And We made on it wide pathways that people may find right guidance to reach the goal. And We have made the heaven a roof, well protected, still they turn away paying no heed to its (heavenly) signs. And it is He Who created the night and the day, the sun and the moon. They are all gliding along smoothly in (their respective) orbits. (21:30-33)

Thus the word Rabb al âlamîn conveys not only the idea of creation but also that of regulating, completing and accomplishing, that is of the evolution of things from the crudest state to that of the highest perfection: The word Rabb al âlamîn also signifies the fostering of a thing in such a manner as to make it attain one condition after another until it reaches its goal of perfection and completion. Hence the Rabb is not only the Author of all existence, Who has not only given to the whole creation its means of nourishment (41:9-10), but has also beforehand ordained for each a sphere of capacity and within that sphere provided the means by which it continues to attain gradually its goal of perfection:


We create a human being from an extract of clay; then We reduce him to a drop of sperm (and place him) in a safe depository; then We form the sperm into a clot; then We develop the clot into a lump of flesh; then We fashion bones out of this lump of flesh, then We clothe the bones with flesh, thereafter We evolve him into another being. Therefore blessed be Allâh the Best of Creators. Then as you have passed (these seven stages of physical and spiritual stages) you are heading towards death. Then (after death) you will certainly be raised up to life (for another never ending progress) on the Day of Resurrection (23:12-16).

The Holy Qur'ân in the above verses is drawing our attention to the principle of evolution at work in the creation of all non-living and living things in their sphere. It establishes the working of a grand scheme under the ever vigilant eye of Rabb al âlamîn through hundreds and thousands of years in some cases, in order to bring things to their final perfection.