Ultimate Justice

Sura 86, The Morning Star, describes the day of judgment:

The Day that (all) things secret will be tested,

(Man) will have no power, and no helper.

By the Firmament which returns (in its round),

And by the Earth which opens out (for the gushing of springs or the sprouting of vegetation),-

Behold this is the Word that distinguishes (Good from Evil):

It is not a thing for amusement.

As for them, they are but plotting a scheme,

And I am planning a scheme.

Therefore grant a delay to the Unbelievers: Give respite to them gently (for awhile).

Every secret will be revealed, it says, everything that everyone has wanted to be kept hidden.  All that is done, good or evil, will be revealed, and shown for what it really is.  The Good will be declared good and the Evil will be declared evil, without excuse.  This is something, the Quran says, to be feared, not taken lightly, for true life and true comfort and true punishment occurs after the day of judgment.

The skeptic scoffs at this.  "What proof do you have for a day of judgment?  And can't people accomplish the good without judgment?  There is no need for such a thing."

In every system of human thought, however you read it, there must be a form of ultimate justice.  In Hindu thought, this is accomplished through karma, the law of the universe in which every living individual is given what they objectively deserve in the next life what they accomplished in this one.  Most justice systems see themselves as the final right in objectivity and giving criminals what they deserve.  We need this in order to function well.  We need to know that justice will be done-- in this life or the next-- or else we will live in despair every time an injustice is done.  If injustice isn't righted, either now or later, then what use is any action?

Humans must believe that justice will happen.  Modern secularists see justice done through democracies.  In the natural rhythm of democratic societies, justice comes about.

Really?  Is that really true?  Tell that to the African slave, kidnapped and sold to "democratic" societies.  Sure, perhaps a limited sort of justice was accomplished over centuries, but only after the deaths of millions.  And millions of  those who suffered in slavery didn't see justice, ever.  Where is their justice?

What about the millions of natives in many lands, killed, enslaved or abused, stolen from and moved from their lands?  Are they, even now, getting justice?  Will they ever get justice?   

What about the victims of genocide in democratic lands (remember that the Nazi party was democratically elected).   Perhaps we say that we have gotten past such evils and are now able to accomplish justice better than ever.  Tell that to the homeless, who are told by cities that they are criminals because they don't have homes, and then the churches who want to help them are told that they can't because they don't have a sprinkler system. 

I am sorry.  No matter how you look at it, no matter what humanity accomplishes, justice isn't to be found on earth.  Not in our lives.  This doesn't mean we don't work toward it.  It doesn't mean we give up  on justice.  But please don't tell me that we can accomplish this.  Our prejudices and ignorance is just too deep.

If we recognize this, we are on the edge of despair.  

And so is the woman forced to watch her children starve because she lives in Southern Sudan or Uganda.  So is the man falsely accused of raping a child and is sent to prison for the rest of his life.  So is the child who is abused but no one knows, and no one will know. 

God gives us an answer.  He tells us that, yes, there is injustice now.  It is evil and, try as we might, it will continue.  Children will continue to go hungry, the innocent will continue to be falsely accused, the good will continue to be hurt and those who harm others will continue to live satisfied, even successful lives.  

But this will not continue forever.  God will finally get fed up with the injustice and stop it.  And every single person-- good and evil-- will stand before their Judge and receive a verdict.  God is just and merciful.  He sees all and will take into account all extenuating circumstances. But all who have had to live with injustice will be justified.  Those who hunger and thirst for justice will be satisfied, even as the unjust who are satisfied now will be punished.

Perhaps you just can't accept this, you don't believe it.  That's fine.  Deal with despair your own way.  But two things:

-Don't deny us our comfort given to us from God.  Our anger is only pacified by a God who accomplishes justice patiently and mercifully.

-Don't use your disbelief as an opportunity to harm others.  Look at all you do, and see how what you do effects others.  If you live a life of harm, of hurting those who needed mercy, then you WILL get your day of justice.  You will.  If you think harming others is just something you must do to live your life, then live in fear, great fear.  For the tables will be turned.

Intellectualism, Religion and Happiness

(Based on Sura 80 "He Frowned")

Muhammad was quite unhappy.  He was doing his usual poetry reciting when an intellectual interrupted him.  Now, mind you, Muhammad wasn't much of an intellectual.  Tradition says that before God spoke to him, he couldn't even read.

For most intellectuals, that is enough to dismiss a man.  There are so many books, so many arguments, so many  interpretations, so many details.  All of this is essential to the intellectual.  They have to discuss every iota of every atom.  Everything must be analyzed.  And if one doesn't have the capacity to know the analysis of the last thousand years, that person need not be paid attention to-- nay, they must be dismissed.

Nevertheless, Muhammad knew a thing or two, despite his lack of book knowledge.  He knew that life, as complicated as it is, is better approached with simplicity.   He says there are only a couple things that are most necessary to remember:

1. God made us all and provides for all our needs.  If we remember and acknowledge God's constant action in our lives, we will remember to live lives of gratitude and contentment.  And even the intellectuals have to admit that the studies show that those who are grateful and content with what they have live happier lives. Summary of science on happiness and gratitude.

2. God will judge us for our actions.  Our future can't be seen intellectually by anyone, but our future is dependent on our present.  What we do now effects our life in the future.  And our future after we live, for all eternity, is dependent on how we live now.  If we live for God, do good to all, then we will live in happiness for all eternity.  This cannot be analyzed, but it has been communicated by God again and again by all of His prophets and teachers.  And even the intellectuals admit that being moral and compassionate beings happiness. Study on altruism and happiness.

Religion and intellectualism CAN meet!

Creative Theology

In reading Sura 53, I was pretty mystified.

Have ye seen Lat. and 'Uzza,

And another, the third (goddess), Manat?

What! for you the male sex, and for Him, the female?

Behold, such would be indeed a division most unfair!

Manat sounds familiar-- and Ali helpfully gives us the note that it is the name of a goddess.  That means the other two names are probably goddesses as well, right?  

But what about the next two lines?

Looking around (in a commentary) I see that the verse is highlighting the pagan hypocrisy.  It is a common pagan practice to allow female babies to starve, if they were really wanting a male one.  No one wanted to refuse to have female babies, but just not as many as male ones, as male babies grow up to be farmers, breadwinners and defenders.  Women, in the ancient world, grew up to be house cleaners and pregnant, and generally a burden to fathers and later husbands in patriarchal societies.

The Quran is pointing out that the pagans make up females for their gods (under the authority of the Most High God, of course), but they aren't really interested to have daughters for themselves.  "Go ahead and refuse to have daughters, but you will fill heaven with women!", it seems to be saying.

The Quran is not saying anything against women here-- although it does say that no spiritual power is given a female name-- rather, the word is just pointing out that the pagans don't know the first thing about the Spirit world.  They make up what they want and present it as the truth.

The Quran speaks the truth-- the only way anyone can know anything about the spirit world is by revelation, not by invention.  

For this reason, theologians of most types truly disturb me.  Theology is not supposed to be innovative or imaginative.  Theology is supposed to be conceptually conservative.  This is because, ultimately, the Spirit World is a mystery, displayed to us in fits and starts unless there is someone who can be proven to know more about that world than any of the rest of us.  The Spirit world is like an image in a kaleidoscope-- one person may see one image, and other person may see another image, but it is impossible to determine in that image.  Only when we put the Kaleidoscope down and look directly at the object, can we really know what it is.

But who has actually seen that world, directly.  Only God Himself, or angels.  Muhammad claimed to have his revelation directly from an angel.   Jesus claimed to have seen it himself, directly.  Moses claimed to have his revelation directly from God.  So, as long as their claims are true, they qualify.

Theologians, however, are only dealing with shadows and mysteries.  Interpretations of texts and dreams and ancient stories.  They should be the most conservative, careful of sciences.  Instead, most theologians are slip-shod, careless and inventive.

This is not to say that the presentation of truth shouldn't be imaginative-- Madeline L'Engle isn't to be denied, nor her ilk. Nor does it mean that theology shouldn't be radical.  If theology is true, it must demand radical change to the world.  But the message of theology should be only that which was revealed, without innovation, without addition.

A Quranic Shift

Just to remind readers of my comments on the Quran, that I am reading the Suras (poems/chapters) in the chronological order that is presented in the WikiIslam.  There is some disagreement as to what the original stated order of these Suras are, but I find this order to be plausible, for the most part. 

Now we approach Sura 53, The Star, which changes the literary aspect of the poems.

I believe the message is still pretty much the same: focusing on the supremacy of God, and ethical action based on the reality of the resurrection and the judgement of all mankind.   However, I think that from here on out, the Suras become more complex, and they deal with more specific issues.

Up until now, the Suras have been pretty much Theology 101.  Introduction and discussion of some pretty basic monotheistic ideas.  Now, the conversation gets more complex.  And longer.  And more details.

This is all good, and I'm glad that we are going to get more specific.  But it also means that we will be heading into areas which require more study on my part.  And, frankly, not everything will be in my areas of interst.  So instead of grouping Suras together, I will be more often just speaking about parts of Suras, and letting the rest go, just as I did with other theological texts.  It was never my plan to write out a complete commentary on the Quran.  First of all, I'm not qualified, but also that would be pretty tedious at times, and the last thing this blog needs is more tedium.

The Problem of Preaching...

Anytime we try to convince others of a truth based upon our presuppositions, we will have our presuppositions questioned.  Some would say that is the basic purpose of teenagers.

Muhammad went to the pagan believers with a message of repentance based on the coming judgment day.

First they questioned: How will we get to a judgment day, if we are already dead?

Muhammad says: God will raise you from the dead.

They responded: No one can raise the dead!  Once you are dead, that's it!

Muhammad says: Is anything impossible for God?

They responded: What has God done that even comes close to that scale of creation?

Muhammad says: Well, how about creating you from sperm?  How about creating the earth?  How about sending out winds, sometimes to our benefit, sometimes with destruction?  How about the sky-- can you find a flaw in it?

They say: Well, perhaps, perhaps not.  But even so, how do we know that anyone will actually be judged?

Muhammad says: Because some have already been judged by God.  The generation of Noah, Pharaoh of old, Sodom and Gomorrah, and some of our own generation has been punished and we will freely admit "Oh yes, they have been punished by God."  If some are judged this way, why not all?  Will God not determine justice for all the earth?

At this point they will get uncomfortable and leave.

And the preacher keeps on preaching, and some will believe and many will not.  That is the state of being a preacher.

The Final Day

When the Bible speaks of the last days, it doesn't do so in a  way that we might consider obvious today.

When we speak of the "last days" we talk about a few basic ideas:
-a time when every person will be resurrected from the dead
-a judgement day when each person's eternal destiny will be decided by their deeds
-final destination will either be a permanent state of bliss/contentment or a permanent state of punishment

In the Psalms, such as Psalm 22 or Psalm 37, it is a more personal statement, assuring oneself of the justice of the cosmos through the will of God.

In Isaiah, the Gospels and in Revelation it is spoken of a warning for followers of God to act faithfully and justly.

In Daniel and in Paul's writings, it is a statement of comfort to those who suffer under persecution.

It is left to Muhammad and the later Christian writers to make the obvious step of using these eschatalogical events to warn unbelievers of their coming demise unless they repent.  Admittedly, it is not far from what John the Baptist does, but even John is speaking to those within the folds of Judaism.  It is interesting that Muhammad uses the ideas of resurrection and judgment and eternal destiny to convince pagans of their demise unless they repent.

In Sura 101, Muhammad speaks generally of the day of judgment, explaining what it is and the eternal destiny that awaits both the good and the evil.   It is more like a teaching poem, but still delivering the emotional impact of the final day.

In Sura 75,  Muhammad is confronted by those who claim that the resurrection of the dead, and thus the judgment day, is impossible.  The Sura's only proof is the omnipotence of God-- that God can do whatever He wishes.  Today, the resurrection of the dead shouldn't be doubted on the level of ability since it has been shown that one can clone any cellular creature.  The only real question is why would one want to resurrect the dead.  And the answer given here is simply: justice.

At the end of the life of each person, we can see that it is rare for a person to get what they deserve.  Those who have done evil to many often live according to their own terms.  Those who have done good often get only punishment and suffering in return.  The resurrection and judgment is an opportunity for pure justice to exist.  It is like karma, except instead of continually being stuck in an unjust universe, there is a final break and justice-- true justice-- finally comes to all.

The Quran and the Bible recognize that unless true justice prevails, those who make excuses to do evil will continue to do so.  Only with true and perfect justice-- even a justice that only happens in an unknown future-- can evil be kept at bay.

Finally in Sura 104,  all the pieces come together and a message to those who do evil is given, like any good fire and brimstone preacher.  It is spoken to those who slander God through their actions: specifically those who pile up wealth as if that would give them eternal security.  Rather, those who think that this life is all there is, and acts accordingly, will end up burning forever in punishment.

Right belief can lead to right action and right action to bliss, if only we are willing to wait for it.

Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth!

(It will be said:) "Depart ye to that which ye used to reject as false!

 "Depart ye to a Shadow (of smoke ascending) in three columns,

 "(Which yields) no shade of coolness, and is of no use against the fierce Blaze.

 "Indeed it throws about sparks (huge) as Forts,

Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth!

That will be a Day when they shall not be able to speak.

Nor will it be open to them to put forth pleas.

Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth!

That will be a Day of Sorting out! We shall gather you together and those before (you)!

                                                                                                                  -Sura 77

Quran Background 2: Muhammad's Call

Muhammad was born around 570AD.  His father had died before he was born and his mother died in infancy.  Muhammad was raised by his uncle, Abu Talib, who was a poorer relative.  Tradition states that even though he had received little or no education, Muhammad was an excellent trader, even in his youth.  This quality was a factor which made him attractive to a wealthy widow named Khadijah.  They married when Muhammad was 25 and Khadijah was 40.

                Having suddenly married into sucyh a wealthy house, Muhammad spent more time in reflection.  He became one of a small group of local agnostics named Hunafa.  Each individual within this group attempted to seek truth by “the light of his own inner consciousness.”  To do this, they would often seek refuge from the cities and find a secluded place in the desert to meditate and fast.  Muhammad himself would travel to a small mountain, Mt. Hira, and find privacy in a cave.  It was here that Muhammad received his call into prophethood.

At the age of 40, Muhammad received an answer from Allah to his prayers.  It came in the form of a vision, in which a voice called to him, “Recite!”  There was some ambiguity in this command, because the command could also be understood to say, “Read!”  He replied to the voice, “How can I read?” for Muhammad had never been taught to read or write.  This dialogue was repeated two more times before the voice answered him:

                “Recite: In the name of thy Lord who created,

                                created Man of a blood-clot.

                Recite: and they Lord is the Most Generous

                                Who taught by the pen,

                       Taught Man that he knew not.”

                                (Sura 96:1-5)

                During this vision, it was revealed to Muhammad that Allah was the one true God and that He has called Muhammad to be his prophet.

Muhammad was unsure of what to make of his vision, whether it was from Satan (Shaitan in Arabic) or Allah.  He took Kadijah into his confidence, who advised him to test the spirit to see from whom it came.  Muhammad did so, and discovered that he was being visited by the angel Gabriel (Jibreel in Arabic).  After more self-doubt and later reassurances by both his wife and his closest friends, Muhammad accepted the role of the prophet to the Arabic peoples.