God praises a group of people as wise and intellectual, because they “… remember God standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth, saying: ‘Our Lord, You have not created this in vain…’” The Qur’an teaches us not only to observe creation, but to contemplate it with humility. Instead of asking “Why was this and that created, or why did this and that happen?” we are reminded to see nature and hardships through the lens of purpose, wisdom, and remembrance.
Upon looking at creation, some people question their own faith, jumping to conclusions which imply doubts about God’s Benevolence. But is there a better, more proper way to contemplate God’s creation?
Hello and welcome to this episode of “God in His Own Words”, where we will try to get better acquainted with God through the Holy Qur’an rather than the words of others.
We are in the fourth day of God’s feast, the holy month of Ramadan. We are going to recite Verse 191 of the Sūrah Āl ‘Imrān, to gain a purer and deeper knowledge and understanding regarding the Almighty God:"الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ وَ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ"
"Those who remember God while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], 'Our Lord, You have not created this in vain (bāṭilā); Exalted are You [above that]! So protect us from the punishment of the Fire.'"In this verse, God is telling us about a very important trait of a group of people who, in His own words in the preceding verse, possess wisdom and intellect, which is, remembering God always and in every situation.
Of course, the prime example of a person who constantly remembers God is Imam Ali (PBUH). In a sermon delivered in Kufa, after the Battle of Nahrawan, and after Mu'awiyah had already begun torturing and persecuting the Imam’s companions, Imam Ali (PBUH) introduces himself and says: «أنا الذّاکر» "I am the one who remembers and always thinks of God. I am the one God is referring to when He speaks of the Rememberer”.
Just to emphasise, remembering here is referring to something that you do actively, not passively. You are intentionally keeping God in mind.
Going back to the verse, there are important lessons to be taken here, not least about how to speak of God. God is teaching us how to look at nature and creation as a reminder, as signs of God.
Just as He teaches us how to speak about His Oneness in the verse "Say: He is God, the One" (Qul Huwa Allāhu Ahad), in this verse, by praising these people of wisdom and intellect, God is teaching us to also say, "Our Lord, You have not created this in vain."
This ending of the verse reminds us of two crucial facts:
1.First, that our Creator is Wise. He would not create in vain.
2.And second, that Creation has a purpose, that this world serves as a prelude to another Realm that will be revealed when the time comes, the Hereafter (Sar-anjām).
In this verse, we are also taught to say "Subḥānak" (You are exalted, pure), and to ask God to grant us a good fate, to save us from the torment of the Fire. Those who are wise and intelligent contemplate about the creation of the heavens and the earth - (yatafakkarūna fī khalqis-samāwāti wal-arḍ). If we do the same, we can hopefully see God in creation — both in nature and in whatever happens within it.
Upon encountering a small moving insect or a big crisis, some people say, or let’s say complain: "Why was this created?” “Why did this happen?" They seem to question God’s wisdom. They suppose that there is no order in this world and that none of this has any purpose.
What we have to remember is that we are living in a world where even the falling of a single leaf from a tree is accounted for, and God knows it.
We must thus say: "Rabbanā Mā Khalaqta Hādhā Bāṭilā" (Our Lord, You have not created this in vain). O God, help us think this way, to see creation this way. You are pure and exalted. Save us from a bad destiny.
This is the proper way to reflect on God's creation. Imam Ali (PBUH) is said to have been reciting these very verses as he left for the mosque on the 19th night of Ramadan.
Tune in next time, and join us on our journey towards getting better acquainted with God through His own words. Inshā'Allāh, He Himself will lead us to the right path.