of Nokounam, (Session 1368)
The concluding verses of Surah Al-A'raf illuminate the human path towards pure monotheism and intimacy with the Lord like a radiant light. These verses, which invite to secret remembrance, supplication, reverence, and sincere worship, caution humanity against heedlessness and self-centeredness and guide them towards a life imbued with the remembrance of God. In this treatise, relying on the content of the lecture and profound ontological, theological, and philosophical analyses, an attempt has been made to elucidate these verses in an eloquent and dignified language. The structure of this text, with clear sectional divisions and semantic connections, paves the way for a deeper comprehension of the Qur'anic concepts.
And remember your Lord within yourself humbly and with fear without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings, and be not among the heedless. (Surah Al-A'raf, 7:205)
Secret remembrance flows like a gentle breeze within the depths of the human heart, connecting him with his Lord. This remembrance, devoid of loud cries or clamour, is an inner and heartfelt attentiveness that implants practical monotheism within the human beings essence. Just as a calm river joins the vast ocean, secret remembrance guides the human towards the boundless ocean of divine knowledge.
The verse, by emphasising humble supplication and fear, reveals two fundamental characteristics of remembrance: supplication, which signifies human neediness and dependence upon the Lord, and reverence, which stems from the comprehension of divine grandeur and power. Although these two may seem contrary, they complement one another; supplication is like a tree rooted in the soil of human need, and reverence is like the shadow cast by the sun of the Lords majesty upon the human being.
Supplication compels the human to confess his indigence before the Lords self-sufficiency, and reverence restrains him from arrogance and pride. These two, like wings, enable the human to soar towards the heavens of divine knowledge.
The phrase without loudness in words stresses serenity and sincerity in remembrance. Secret remembrance, unlike meaningless outcries, indicates inner concentration and sincerity. Just as a flower blooms silently in the night, secret remembrance blossoms within the heart and links the human to divine mercy.
Among some predecessors, loud and noisy recitations were common; however, the Quran, through this verse, emphasises calm and inward remembrance. This prevents ostentation and showing off in worship and invites the human to sincerity.
The phrase in the mornings and evenings points to the continuity of remembrance. This continuity is like a perennial stream that nourishes the dry land of the human existence. Continuous remembrance rescues the human from heedlessness and fills his life with the light of Gods remembrance.
The verse cautions the human with and be not among the heedless. A heedless person is one who has distanced himself from the remembrance of God, whose heart has become devoid of the light of divine knowledge. Heedlessness is like darkness that envelops the human existence and leads him away from the path of monotheism towards the abyss of self-centeredness.
Heedlessness has degrees, ranging from the absence of remembrance to inattentiveness towards God. Even inattentiveness is like a shadow that dims the light of knowledge. The believer, with constant remembrance, dispels this shadow from his being and illuminates his heart with divine light.
The first section elucidates secret remembrance and its features. Supplication and reverence, as two wings of remembrance, guide the human towards monotheism and intimacy with the Lord. Avoidance of loudness and the emphasis on continuous remembrance in the morning and evening rescue the human from heedlessness and invite him to a monotheistic life. These concepts, like a lantern on the path of mysticism, illuminate the way towards divine proximity.
Indeed, those who are near your Lord do not disdain His worship, and they exalt Him and to Him they prostrate. (Surah Al-A'raf, 7:206)
Creatures near God, such as the angels, worship Him with humility and glorification. This worship, free from any arrogance, is a model for the faithful human to approach the Lord with humility and prostration.
The phrase and they exalt Him and to Him they prostrate signifies glorification and prostration as signs of sincere worship. Glorification is a chant praising Gods grandeur, and prostration is the pinnacle of humility that subjugates the human before the Lords infinitude.
Prostration, especially, is a symbol of total submission before God. Just as the earth bows to the sun, the human, through prostration, humbles himself before divine greatness.
The phrase those who are near your Lord alludes to intimacy and nearness to God. Divine proximity is a state in which the human is present in the divine court and approaches his Lord through remembrance and worship. This intimacy is like a childs friendship with his parents, who runs towards them with certainty and love.
The faithful human, through continuous practice of remembrance and worship, can embed this intimacy within himself. Just as a garment moves with the human, God accompanies the human at every moment, if he lives with Gods remembrance.
The concept of jal muthlil refers to Gods accompaniment in all human actions. The faithful human, with Gods remembrance in walking, eating, and sleeping, fills his life with divine presence. This accompaniment is like a light shining continuously on the human being, rescuing him from the darkness of heedlessness.
This concept necessitates mystical training. Just as a flower blooms under a gardeners care, the human, through training in remembrance and worship, attains intimacy with God.
Self-centredness and arrogance alienate the human from worship and intimacy with God. These deviations are like a barrier against the flow of monotheism, preventing the human from approaching his Lord. Some religious scholars, in elucidating this point, have referred to the misuse of the Quran, such as false oaths upon it. This act is a sign of distancing from the truth of revelation and internal corruption.
The faithful human, with monotheistic training, avoids these deviations. Religious knowledge, if misunderstood, may lead to misguidance rather than guidance. Therefore, Quranic training, which directs the human towards monotheism and intimacy with God, is an undeniable necessity.
The second section elucidates sincere worship and divine proximity. Glorification and prostration, as symbols of monotheism, guide the human towards humility and submission before God. Divine proximity and the concept of Gods accompaniment invite the human to intimacy with the Lord in all states. Criticism of self-centredness and deviations reveals the necessity of monotheistic training.
Monotheistic training rescues the human from heedlessness and self-centeredness and directs him towards intimacy with God. Without this training, the human falls into the trap of oppression, sin, and pride. Just as a sapling withers without care, the human deviates from the path of monotheism without Quranic training.
Monotheistic training urges the human to practise remembrance, worship, and intimacy with God. This practice is like a journey from the darkness of the self to the light of divine knowledge.
Heedlessness is the greatest obstacle on the path of monotheism. The heedless human is deprived of Gods remembrance and falls prey to Satan. Some religious scholars have pointed to abuses of religious knowledge, such as false oaths upon the Quran. These deviations result from distancing from the spirit of Quranic monotheism.
The faithful human, through constant remembrance and Quranic training, avoids these deviations. Remembrance, whether secret or public, brings the human closer to God and saves him from heedlessness.
Prostration, as the zenith of worship, signifies complete submission before God. This act restrains the human from arrogance and self-centeredness and leads him to divine proximity. Prostration is like a bridge connecting the human from the earth to the heavens.
The third section discusses the necessity of monotheistic training and critique of heedlessness and deviations. Quranic training directs the human from the darkness of heedlessness to the light of monotheism. Prostration and continuous remembrance, as tools of this training, guide the human towards intimacy with the Lord.
Verses 205 and 206 of Surah Al-A'raf, like a mirror, reveal the truth of monotheism and intimacy with God to the human. Secret remembrance, with supplication and reverence, rescues the human from heedlessness and directs him towards a monotheistic life. Sincere worship, with glorification and prostration, brings the human to divine proximity. The concept of Gods accompaniment in all states illuminates human life with the light of divine knowledge. Critique of self-centredness and deviations exposes the necessity of Quranic training. These verses invite humanity towards pure monotheism and intimacy with the Lord so that they may shine like a star in the sky of knowledge in Gods presence.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
