The Twentieth Word

Two important answers to two important questions

QUESTION: Since the Qur’an was sent for humanity, why does it not mention explicitly the wonders of civilization that we consider important? Why does it content itself with allusions, indications, or references?

ANSWER: The Qur’an does so because it discusses each topic according to its worth in the Qur’an’s eyes. Its basic duty is to teach Divine Lordship’s perfections, essential qualities, and acts, as well as servanthood’s duties, status, and affairs. Given this, the wonders of human civilization merit only a slight indication or implicit reference or allusion.

For example, if an airplane88 appealed to the Qur’an: “Give me the right to speak and a place in your verses,” the aircrafts of Lordship’s sphere (e.g., planets, the earth, the moon) would reply on the Qur’an’s behalf: “You may have a place in proportion to your size.” If a submarine asked for a place, submarines belonging to that sphere (e.g., heavenly bodies “swimming” in the vast “ocean” of the atmosphere and ether) would say: “Your place beside us is too small to be visible.” If a shining, star-like electric light asked to be included, the electric lights of that sphere (e.g., lightning, shooting stars, and stars adorning the sky) would say: “You have a right to be mentioned and spoken of only in proportion to your light.”

If the wonders of human civilization demanded a place with respect to the fineness of their art, a fly would reply: “Be quiet, for even one of my wings has more of a right than you do. If all of your fine arts and delicate instruments were joined together, they could not be as wonderful and as exquisite as the fine art and delicate members concentrated in my tiny

body.” The verse: Surely those whom, apart from God, you deify and invoke will never be able to create (even) a fly, though they banded together to do it And if a fly snatches away anything from them, they never recover that from it. Powerless indeed is the seeker, and so is the sought (22:73), will silence you.”

If those wonders appealed to the sphere of servanthood, they would receive a reply like the following:

You have very little relationship with us, so you cannot enter our sphere. For our program is this: The world is a guest-house. Humanity is a guest with many duties. Each person will stay there for a short time. Being charged with preparing themselves for eternal life, they will give priority to their most urgent and important duties pertaining the eternal life. As you mostly seem to be designed in heedlessness and world-mindedness, as if the world were eternal, you have very little share in servanthood to and worship of God, which is founded upon love of truth and otherworldliness. However, if there are among you respected craftspeople, scientists, and inspired inventors, who, purely for the benefit of God’s servants, serve the general interest and public ease and attainment of social life, which is a valuable sort of worship, the Qur’an’s allusions and indications are sufficient for such sensitive people, who are a minority among their colleagues, to encourage them and honor their accomplishments.

QUESTION: You might ask: “After these discussions, I understand that the Qur’an contains, along with all other truths, indications of, as well as allusions to, modern civilization’s most advanced wonders. Everything necessary for human happiness in both worlds is found in it, in proportion to its worth. But why does the Qur’an not mention them explicitly, so that even most stubborn unbelievers would have to believe and our minds would be eased?”

ANSWER: Religion is for examination, a test and trial offered by God to distinguish elevated and base spirits from each other. Just as raw materials are fired to separate diamonds from coal and gold from soil, Divine obligations test conscious beings so that the precious “ore” in the “mine” of human potential may be separated from the dross. Since the Qur’an was sent for humanity to be perfected through trial, it only alludes to future events pertaining to the world, which everyone will witness over time. It only opens the door to reason as much as needed to prove its argument. If it had mentioned such things explicitly, testing would be meaningless. They would be so clear, as if writing There is no deity but God on the face of the sky with stars, that everyone would be forced to believe. There would be no competition, and the testing and trial would mean nothing. A coal-like spirit would stay with and appear to be equal to a diamond-like spirit.89

In short, the Qur’an is wise and gives everything a position in proportion to its value. Thus, 1,300 years ago it saw the extent of human progress and its fruits, which were hidden in the darkness of the Unseen (the future), and showed them in a better form. This shows that the Qur’an is the Word of One Who sees at the same instant all time and all within it.

All that we have explained so far is only one gleam of the Qur’an’s miraculousness, which shines on the “face” of the Prophets’ miracles.

O God! Enable us to understand the Qur’an’s mysteries and make us successful in serving it at every instant and at all times.

All-Glorified are You. We have no knowledge save what You have taught us. Surely You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O God! Bestow blessings, peace, benedictions, and honor on our master and lord, Muhammad, Your servant and Prophet and Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, on his Family and Companions and wives and descendants; on all other Prophets and Messengers; on the angels near-stationed to You; and on the saints and the righteous. Bestow on them the most excellent of blessings, the purest peace, and the most abundant benedictions, to the number of the Qur’an’s suras, verses, words, letters, meanings, indications, allusions, and references. Forgive us, have mercy on us, and be gracious to us, our God, our Creator, for the sake of each of those blessings, through Your Mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful. All praise and gratitude are for God, the Lord of the worlds. Amin.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

88 While discussing this serious subject, my pen involuntarily slipped into this light manner of writing, and I let it go. I hope this does not detract from the subject’s seriousness.

89 Abu Jahl the Accursed and Abu Bakr the Truthful would appear to be equal, and the purpose for testing people and accounting them responsible for their free acts would become