The Holy Qur'an, like a clear and boundless spring, presents truth in divine speech to humanity and expounds fundamental concepts such as truth, falsehood, and sustenance in its verses in a profound and multilayered manner. These concepts, intertwined like the pillars of the cosmic order, not only guide humanity on the path of felicity and perfection but also provide a comprehensive map to comprehend the relationship between man and the Lord, the universe, and the self. Truth, like a radiant sun, manifests absolute and enduring reality; falsehood, like a fleeting shadow, is unstable and doomed to perish before it; and sustenance, like a flowing river, is a divine gift that quenches the material and spiritual life of man. This treatise, relying upon the verses of the Holy Qur'an, explores these concepts and investigates their philosophical, mystical, psychological, and sociological dimensions with clear and dignified language, so as to open a path towards deeper understanding of the revealed word.
Truth, in the Holy Qur'an, is introduced as a pure gem signifying absolute and steadfast reality that, like a solid rock, stands firm against falsehood. This concept not only pertains to the Divine Essence and His attributes but also in the cosmic system acts as a strong thread guiding all components of existence towards perfection. The Holy Qur'an, in numerous verses, depicts truth as a light that confines falsehood and drives it towards extinction.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ
"And thus has the word of your Lord been fulfilled against those who disbelieved that they are the companions of the Fire." (Ghafir: 6)
This verse clearly demonstrates the deservingness of punishment for disbelievers due to their choice of falsehood and distancing from truth. Here, truth, as the Divine Word, is firm and steadfast, bringing falsehood to extinction before it. From a mystical perspective, this fulfilment of the Divine Word is a sign of the Lords justice and wisdom, guiding humanity towards truth. Psychologically, choosing falsehood results from hypocrisy and self-centredness, leading man towards ruin.
Falsehood, in the Holy Qur'an, is described as a temporary and unstable shadow that has no continuity before the light of truth. This impermanence is evident not only in the verses but also in the history of human societies. Societies based on falsehood, like poorly founded buildings, collapse swiftly leaving no trace. The Holy Qur'an explicates this reality in another verse:
وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمُ اللَّهُ إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ وَتَوَدُّونَ أَنَّ غَيْرَ ذَاتِ الشَّوْكَةِ تَكُونُ لَكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُحِقَّ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَيَقْطَعَ دَابِرَ الْكَافِرِينَ
"And when Allah promised you one of the two groups, that it would be yours, and you wished that the unarmed group would be yours, but Allah desired to establish the truth by His words and to cut off the root of the disbelievers." (Al-Anfal: 7)
This verse illustrates the Divine will in the steadfastness of truth and the cutting off the roots of disbelievers. Falsehood, due to the lack of attraction and continuity, is condemned to perish. Sociologically, this decline is the outcome of inherent weakness in falsehood-based systems, incapable of standing against truth.
Truth and falsehood, like two sides of a coin, stand opposed within the cosmic system. Truth, like a firm and steadfast rock, endures, while falsehood, like a passing wind, is destined to vanish. The verses of the Holy Qur'an, in eloquent expression, reveal this reality that truth, supported by the Divine, overcomes falsehood and leads the disbelievers towards annihilation. This section, through exploration of relevant verses, demonstrated that the steadfastness of truth and the impermanence of falsehood are manifested not only in the cosmos but also within the psyche and society of humanity.
Sustenance, in the Holy Qur'an, is likened to a flowing river, a divine gift that nourishes the material and spiritual life of man. This blessing, in various forms, from celestial and spiritual sustenance to terrestrial and material provision, serves the guidance of man towards perfection. The Holy Qur'an describes sustenance as dependent upon Divine wisdom:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ رِزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ يُطْعِمُونِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. I do not desire from them any provision, nor do I desire that they feed Me. Indeed, Allah is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength." (Adh-Dhariyat: 56-58)
This verse introduces sustenance as a Divine gift aimed at guiding man towards worship and perfection. Sustenance fulfils not only the material needs but also the spiritual requirements of man.
Charity, like a golden key, purifies sustenance from impurities and grants it purity and sanctity. The Holy Qur'an considers charity as a seed that, by producing multiple ears of grain, brings about blessing:
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنْبُلَةٍ مِائَةُ حَبَّةٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
"The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] that sprouts seven ears; in every ear is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing." (Al-Baqarah: 261)
Charity not only purifies sustenance from defilements but also contributes to the spiritual and material well-being of man. Mystically, charity is a sign of sincerity and avoidance of stinginess; psychologically, it helps reduce greed and avarice; sociologically, it leads to decreased inequality and strengthened social solidarity.
Security, like a firm foundation, is the infrastructure for benefiting from sustenance. The Holy Qur'an states this reality elegantly:
الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُمْ مِنْ جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُمْ مِنْ خَوْفٍ
"Who fed them against hunger and made them safe from fear." (Quraysh: 4)
Security endows sustenance with value and purity. In the absence of security, even lawful sustenance can turn into falsehood and hypocrisy. Psychologically, security reduces anxiety and enhances mental health; sociologically, it facilitates just distribution of sustenance and diminishes inequality.
