Say: He Is the One God: God the Eternal, the Uncaused Cause of all being

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE CODES OF OUR PERCEPTION

OF ALLÂH (SWT)

A. Bismillâh: To Begin In The Name Of

Allâh (Swt) -By The Name Of Allâh (Swt)

ALLÂH (SWT) Is Intervenes into our lives to such an extent that it is not possible to undertake a job, take a step, breathe without Him. This is a reality. The more this reality impresses itself in man’s consciousness, the more man feels himself in safety and comfort. Basmala is the disclosure of the fact that ALLÂH (SWT) Intervenes into life at every moment.

BISMILLÂHIRRAHMÂNIRRAHÎM.

The meaning of this sentence is both “In the Name of ALLÂH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” and “By the Name of ALLÂH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful”. In the first sense, the question “In Whose Name/ Thanks to Whom?” is answered: “In the Name of ALLÂH / Thanks to Him”. That Name is “ALLÂH”. Even His Name alone opens all doors. His Name is enough. If His Name is mentioned the rest comes with by itself. To begin in no other Name/Attribute but in the Name ALLÂH is to begin in the Greatest Name of the Most Great One (SWT). The Name ALLÂH is a Proper Name that unites all Perfect Attributes in itself. The fact that the Names Ar-Rahmân and Ar-Rahîm modify the Name ALLÂH reminds that man, the subject has come to this position thanks to the Mercy of ALLÂH (SWT). In the second sense, the question “By whose name?” is answered: “By the Name of ALLÂH”. In this sense it is tested if man is conscious of what and why he does. He realizes what he does if he knows by whose name he does. He is aware of the One by Whose Name he does. To do a thing by the Name of ALLÂH (SWT) is the consciousness of “Khilâfah”. He who does by the Name of ALLÂH (SWT) has committed himself to observe the limits that are set by Him (SWT). He will behave in such a manner as to seek the Pleasure of ALLÂH (SWT).

It must be at the beginning of each task to remember His Name. To start a job is to pronounce BISMILLÂHIRRAHMÂNIRRAHÎM, “In the Name of ALLÂH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful”. Basmala must be the beginning of every righteous and conscious action that man does. The Names Ar-Rahmân and Ar-Rahîm express His Boundless Love, Compassion and Mercy. It means that “Without His Love and Mercy, there would be no conscious action, there would exist no life that makes an action possible, there would exist no mind and no will that render an action conscious, and human that unites these all in his person would neither exist”. For this very reason Basmala is the remembrance of ALLÂH (SWT). Basmala is faithfulness to commitment and covenant. Therefore, Basmala is not only doing “in the Name of ALLÂH (SWT)”, but at the same time it is doing “by the Name of ALLÂH (SWT)”.

Basmala is not only the instruction of the Last Revelation, but the instruction of all Divine Revelations and is historically of the same age as humanity. Prophet Nûh (AS) made his ship move by Basmala (11:41). Writing to queen Balqis, Prophet Sulaimân (Solomon) began his letter “in His Name” (27:30). It is for this very reason that the person who prevents remembering the Name of ALLÂH (SWT) is the worst oppressor imaginable (2:114).

He who recites Basmala on starting a task does the following:

1. Praise and thanks: He recalls that he does what he does thanks to ALLÂH (SWT), remembering His Name he gives thanks to the Owner of Grace (SWT). As regards reading the Noble Qur’ân, to begin reading it by Basmala is to bring to mind the Source of the Noble Qur’ân and to praise the One Who Sent it. In accordance with the Verse “…If you are grateful [to Me], I Shall most certainly Give you more and more…” (14:7), Basmala brings the increase of a blessing. If that blessing is such a glorious blessing as the Noble Qur’ân, then its increase will come not in proportional or physical, but in spiritual form. And it is the way the Noble Qur’ân sprinkles even more light on man’s heart, mind and life and becomes established in a firmer way therein.

2. Connecting (ilsak): Just as the key to the Noble Qur’ân is Basmala, the key to Basmala is the particle “ba” that occurs at its beginning. The particle “ba” at the beginning of Basmala is for joining together (ilsak). Ilsak means to connect two things to each other, to make a bridge, passage, link in order to establish a relation between two sides. Then, what does this connection symbolize? It symbolizes the bond of man to ALLÂH (SWT). By Basmala man connects the immanent to the transcendental, the present life to the Hereafter, the body to the soul, the subliminal to the supraliminal, the lower to the Most High, this world to the next world, the temporary to the permanent, the material to the sacred. In this sense Basmala is a password, which was given by ALLÂH (SWT), that man uses in order to be in communication with his Lord. Man reaches the world beyond thanks to this password and gets his voice across by this means.

3. Rejection of Secularism: He who recites Basmala has acknowledged that ALLÂH (SWT) Intervenes in his work, moreover he has rendered his work fit to be blessed by ALLÂH (SWT). This is at the same time a practical dimension of Tauhîd. He who lives his life with Basmala, calls ALLÂH (SWT) to witness his life, in brief he turns his life into worship. Because Basmala is not recited before doing things that will not please ALLÂH (SWT). In that case, he who lives his life with Basmala, turns his life into worship.

4. Invocation: Basmala is also an invitation issued to ALLÂH (SWT). He who recites Basmala on beginning a task, says, “O ALLÂH (SWT)! I cannot fulfil this task without Your (SWT) Help, I know that I begin this task because You (SWT) Bestow the opportunity, power and strength, and I need You (SWT), I depend on Your (SWT) Help in order to achieve the aim I hope for”. In view of this meaning Basmala is a prayer.

5. The remembrance of ALLÂH (SWT): Considering that the broadest sense of Dhikr is “retrospective contemplation”, Basmala means remembering the source of all values that belong to man who is “disabled by forgetting”. On recollecting that the purpose of the remembrance of ALLÂH (SWT) is to establish the consciousness of ALLÂH (SWT) and morals in man, another function of Basmala becomes understood.

To begin reading the Noble Qur’ân by Basmala, besides the meanings in question, bears the meaning “to read the Noble Qur’ân by the Name of ALLÂH (SWT)”. For him (SAWS) to whom the Noble Qur’ân was first addressed reading the Noble Qur’ân in the Name of ALLÂH (SWT) was synonymous with conveying it in the Name of ALLÂH (SWT). Because the Noble Qur’ân is from ALLÂH (SWT) and the Prophet (SAWS) who was commissioned to convey it was to fulfil this duty in the Name of ALLÂH (SWT). As a matter of fact, it is what it means to be a prophet. This also explains the meaning of qualifying the obedience to the Messenger (SAWS) as the obedience to ALLÂH (SWT). And to read in the Name of ALLÂH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful is an expression of the fact that the Divine Revelation is a sign the Mercy of ALLÂH (SWT).

Basmala is the fulfilment of the Command “Read in the Name of your Lord!”, which is the first revealed Verse from the Noble Qur’ân. The Command of the Verse “Read in the Name of your Lord!” does not mean that Basmala should be “in the Name of your Lord”, but “in the Name of ALLÂH”. It can be explained by the fact that ALLÂH (SWT) Is the Only One That Deserves the Attribute Rabb. This is a reality that is reflected in such expressions as “God Is my Sustainer” (40:28) that occur in the Noble Qur’ân.

It is not enough to read in the Name / by the Name of ALLÂH. It is forbidden to slaughter an animal on which the Name of ALLÂH (SWT) has not been mentioned while slaughtering (2:173; 5:3; 6:145). Because life is entrusted of ALLÂH (SWT). That which is entrusted by ALLÂH (SWT) can only be taken for a lawful purpose and with the Permission of ALLÂH (SWT). To mention His Name while slaughtering an animal is a sort of requesting permission from ALLÂH (SWT).

B. Khashyatullâh: Fear Of Allâh (Swt)

- Love For Allâh (Swt)

For him who comprehends love, to comprehend ALLÂH (SWT) is as easy as to smell a rose. Whoever understands love will not fail to understand ALLÂH (SWT). But those who content themselves with only what they comprehend with their reason will not understand ALLÂH (SWT). Their hands are not in the right place to reach out, their eyes and ears are incapable of seeing and hearing.

Love for ALLÂH (SWT) is the peak of love. Man can also cherish love towards others besides ALLÂH (SWT). But man must not love anything besides ALLÂH (SWT) in such a manner as man loves ALLÂH (SWT): “And yet there are people who choose to believe in beings that allegedly rival God, loving them as [only] God should be loved: whereas those who have attained to faith love God more than all else. If they who are bent on evildoing could but see - as see they will when they are made to suffer [on Resurrection Day] - that all might belongs to God Alone, and that God Is Severe in [meting out] punishment!” (2:165) To love anything else as one loves ALLÂH (SWT) turns love into passion. Love sets free, passion arrests.

The source of love is ALLÂH (SWT). To love anything else in such a manner as one loves ALLÂH (SWT) is betrayal of the source of love. As a result, this causes the objectification of the one who loves in relation to what is loved. And this is doing wrong to oneself. When we love a thing besides ALLÂH (SWT) as we love ALLÂH (SWT) it will not make that thing ALLÂH (SWT), but it will make us slaves to that thing. It poisons love just like oleander. Its colour and smell are attractive, but when you taste it you become poisoned. This poisoned love makes us slaves in relation to what we inappropriately proposed the love that is due to ALLÂH (SWT). If that thing is a human, we become a slave to a slave. If that thing is property we become a slave to property. Love is the food of the heart. Once the heart’s food is poisoned, the heart is also poisoned. It is poisoning oneself with one’s own hands.

The one who loves ALLÂH (SWT) in such a way that is appropriate for Him (SWT) is tremblingly anxious for this love. The Noble Qur’ân calls such people Mushfiqûn. It means those who tremble like an aspen leaf with the fear of losing the Love of ALLÂH (SWT). They are meant by the Verse: “…they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him.” (21:28). Actually, this is what is called “Fear of ALLÂH (SWT)”: being afraid of losing the Divine Love. To tremble like an aspen leaf, thinking “If ALLÂH (SWT) Does Not Love me!”, “If I annoy ALLÂH (SWT) and He Loves me less!”. The most common name used for such fear in the Noble Qur’ân is Khashyat. Khashyat is the fear felt because of the Greatness of the One Who (SWT) Is Feared, and Khawf is the fear felt because of inability and weakness of the one who fears. Consequently, Khashyat is not fear in the sense known to us, Khashyat is reverence mixed with respect, love and devotion.

Then, however, for what reason does the Noble Qur’ân want us to fear only ALLÂH (SWT): “It is but satan who instils [into you] fear of his allies: so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [truly] believers!” (3:175). Again: “Those who convey God’s messages (to the world], and stand in awe of Him, and hold none but God in awe: for none can take count [of man’s doings] as God Does!” (33:39). The reason is obvious; because except for ALLÂH (SWT) everything we fear misuses our fear. Only ALLÂH (SWT) Does Not Misuse or Use man’s fear against him. Because there is nothing that He (SWT) Gains by frightening man. He (SWT) Needs nothing. His Commanding man to fear Only His Personal-Self Alone is in reality the safest way of making man fearless. Because the one who fears only Him (SWT) becomes the master of fear. The one who fears others besides Him (SWT) becomes the captive of fear.

The purpose of the Verses of the Divine Revelation that are connected with fear is to inform the person addressed about fear, to develop in him the morals of fear. For instance, testing with fear is mentioned in the Noble Qur’ân, in particular fear of hunger (2:155). This subject is explained within the framework of the morals of fear. A bread can satiate the hungry, but the whole world cannot satisfy those who are in fear of hunger.

Those who tremble with fear of losing love belong to the class called AWLIYAULLÂH in the Noble Qur’ân.

C. Awlıyaullâh: Friends Of Allâh (Swt)

“God Is Near unto those who have faith, taking them out of deep darkness into the light - whereas near unto those who are bent on denying the truth are the powers of evil that take them out of the light into darkness deep: it is they who are destined for the fire, therein to abide.” (2:257).

ALLÂH (SWT) Is against those who deny and Is the Walî, Friend of those who believe. ALLÂH (SWT) Sent to those who believe in Him (SWT) the Light of the Divine Revelation as a reward for their faith and trust. If they turn their faces to this Light and open their eyes, they can see the Truth thanks to this Light. And it means to escape from the darkness and to reach the light.

The real friend is that who calls to light. The believers have attained the Friendship of ALLÂH (SWT). Friendship is not a unilateral but a bilateral relationship. Being pleased is not only for one side. It is not enough to say only “May ALLÂH (SWT) Be Pleased with you!”, it is necessary to add “Be you pleased with ALLÂH (SWT), too!”. Why Should ALLÂH (SWT) Be Pleased with those who are not pleased with ALLÂH (SWT)? Numerous Verses in the Noble Qur’ân prove that being pleased is not a unilateral but a bilateral action (5:119; 9:100; 58:22; 98:8).

If the believer responds to the Friendship of ALLÂH (SWT), the believer must raise his relationship with ALLÂH (SWT) from the order-command level to the love-friendship level. And this is comes about when one in addition to obeying the Commands and Prohibitions of ALLÂH (SWT), befriends His Cause. This is the requirement of being a friend of ALLÂH (SWT). Those who are friends with ALLÂH (SWT) exalt the Divine Revelation that He Decreed to send down. This is I’LÂ-YI KALIMAMATULLAH (the glorification of the Oneness of ALLÂH (SWT)). To glorify the Divine Revelation is to make the Word of ALLÂH (SWT), the noblest of all words, a crown of honour on the head of humanity. Because the Divine Revelation is a call “Come on, join to the chorus” addressed to man who produces uneven voice in this cosmic chorus. This cosmic chorus continues to sing an eternal devotional song whose melody and lyrics belong to ALLÂH (SWT). The Divine Revelation wants man to join to this devotional song with full consciousness. This cosmic devotional song to which man is required to join is called tasbih by the Noble Qur’ân.

D. Tasbih: Subhânallâh (Glorified Be Allâh (Swt)!)

“The seven heavens extol His limitless glory, and the earth, and all that they contain; and there is not a single thing but extols His limitless glory and praise: but you [O men] fail to grasp the manner of their glorifying Him! Verily, He Is Forbearing, Much-Forgiving!” (17:44 c.f. 59:1; 62:1, 64:1)

The infinitive habs means “hold, detain, stop”. The Turkish words hapis (imprisonment), mahpus (imprisoned), hapishane (prison) all come from the same root. When we reverse and read this word, it takes the opposite meaning and sabh expresses “continual motion.” This meaning appears in Sûrah Al-Anbiyâ’, V. 33. This is the root meaning of the word tasbih. The Noble Qur’ân states that the whole universe is in a state of tasbih (glorification of ALLÂH (SWT)), but at the same time it states that the whole universe is in a state of motion”. And this is miraculous news. The following is the fact that the above Verse announces to us: The existence is in a state of glorification, and that which does not glorify cannot exist. Tasbih is the other name of the cosmic devotional song uttered in unison from the mouth of this cosmic chorus.

SubhÂnALLÂH is the expression in human language of the fact that ALLÂH (SWT) Is the One Who Makes the law of motion and development-change. Thirty-three signifies a complete life cycle of a man according to lunar calendar. This cycle is completed in 33 years. Thirty-three signifies the age at which mind reaches its perfection in just the same way as 40 signifies the age at which spirit reaches its perfection. The news that the dwellers of Paradise will all be at the age of 33 should be understood within this framework. *43 It may even be that this is the thought on the basis of which Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Qatâda interpreted “when he attained his full manhood” from the Verse “And when he reached full manhood, We Bestowed upon him the ability to judge [between right and wrong], as well as [innate] knowledge” (12:22) as “when he reached the age of 33”. SubhÂnALLÂH, which pronounced after prayers, is the confession of the fact that ALLÂH (SWT) Is at the source of all motion, development and change. That means it is man’s joining this cosmic chorus. It is the pouring into language of the truth that ALLÂH (SWT), Who Does Not Change, Is at the source of development and change in the creatures’ world. Perhaps, SubhÂnALLÂH causes man, according to the law of man’s creation, to remember ALLÂH (SWT), the Master of the law of mankind’s coming into existence.

By saying SubhÂnALLÂH, man expresses his indebtedness and gratitude to ALLÂH (SWT) for the honour and privilege that man has among the entire creation. This is tasbih, i.e. the glorification of ALLÂH (SWT) in words. There is also tasbih in action, which is man’s implementating with his consciousness and will the law of change and development which is set by ALLÂH (SWT) and man’s exerting every effort to reach perfection. And tasbih with one’s heart is to entrust to ALLÂH (SWT) the heart which is in continual motion and never ceases at a place, and not to forget ALLÂH (SWT) so that He Rules the heart in which He (SWT) Puts His law.

The hidden meaning because of which tasbih comes at the beginning of the triplet tasbih-tahmid-takbir must be that tasbih encompasses the whole existence. Tasbih is the common action shared by the entire world of creatures. Whatever exists is in the state of (tasbih) the glorification of ALLÂH (SWT). To break off the chain of tasbih equals falling into the world of non-existence. Tasbih makes man a member of the animate and inanimate world. But, in order to be eligible for promotion to the world of conscious beings, it is necessary that man rises to the degree of hamd. Because hamd is the conscious beings’ tasbih. Every hamd contains tasbih, but not every tasbih contains hamd.