|
“The Voice of God”
By R. David Coolidge
Friday Prayer Service (Salat al-Jumah), Dartmouth College,
2.1.08
There are many sources of guidance in our lives, but none with the authority
and power of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is, in the Islamic worldview, the speech of
God which calls us back to Him. It is the means whereby we know right from
wrong, and truth from falsehood. In order to live more fully in the presence of
God, and in conformity with His teaching, we must allow the Qur’an into our
hearts.
Everyone has a limited perspective, because we only see so little of time and
space. The Qur’an, on the other hand, speaks with the voice of the One who
knows everything in its complete fullness. The Qur’an states, “Say [O
Muhammad]: Will you teach God your religion when it is God who knows what is in
the heavens and the earth, and God is knowledgeable about everything?” (Qur’an,
chapter 49, verse 16) The reality of the Qur’an is that it is truly objective,
and by studying it and contemplating it, we are gradually raised out of our own
subjectivity.
The Qur’an, for example, tells us to believe in angels, although we cannot see
them or hear them. One could not know of the existence of angels without the
Divine confirmation of their reality. Empirical observation has its limits,
after which the Qur’an gives us a fuller picture of reality. However, one must
bring an attitude of faith and obedience to the Qur’an, in order to fully
benefit from it. The Qur’an states, “You can only warn the one who follows the
reminder [the Qur’an], and fears the All-Merciful, who is unseen.” (Qur’an,
chapter 36, verse 11) The more we bring to the Qur’an, the more we get out of
it.
Perhaps the most important reality that the Qur’an teaches us about is the
nature of the Divine. Human beings have had many ideas about who God is, but
rather than speculate about His reality, we should rather listen to what He has
said about Himself. One of the foundational sections of the Qur’an which
discusses God is known as the “chapter of purity” (Surah al-Ikhlas),
and it is the 112th out of 114 chapters of the Qur’an. It states,
“Say [O Muhammad]: He is God, the One. God, the Everlasting Refuge. He begets
not, nor is He begotten. There is nothing comparable to Him.” The Prophet
Muhammad (may God’s peace and blessings be upon him) taught that this short
chapter was equal to one-third of the Qur’an.
In addition to the chapter of purity, the “verse of the Throne” is also part of
the bedrock of Qur’anic monotheism. The Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and
blessings of God be upon him) taught his followers to recite this verse often,
such as after the prescribed daily prayers (salah) or before going to
sleep. It states, “God, there is no God but Him, the Living, the
Self-Sufficient. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs what
is in the heavens and what is in the earth. Who can intercede before Him except
the one to whom He has given His permission. He knows what is before them and
what is behind them, and yet they cannot encompass anything of His knowledge
except what He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and
their preservation does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.”
(Qur’an, chapter 2, verse 255)
We should all make an effort to memorize these two verses, and recite them
often. If we carry them in our hearts wherever we go, then we will never be far
from God. To recite them is to remember the reality of God, and as the Qur’an
states, “Truly, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest.” (Qur’an,
chapter 13, verse 28)
|
