Chapter Zariat, Verse 56:
Notes from Bayan 2 Tafsir of Dr Ansari

By Navid Nayeri posted Sunday September 29, 2013

‘Love’ and ‘knowledge’ are the very reason and purpose of creation, namely the creation of humankind! Initially we are to become ‘abd’ (submissioner/worshipper (of God)) that is strictly speaking an entity within this expansive existence ‘wujud’ ( being/ existence/ entity/ self ) that becomes free from any form of i-ness ‘manniat’ (boasting,/ selfishness), this entails that we do not hold any personal whims above Allah’s divine will and command. We do not see anything but the beloved within ourselves and whilst interacting with the world around us.


 ‘Qurb-ellalah’, proximity to Allah: this is not in a place or a time. This ‘Qurb’ ( nearness/ proximity/ affinity/ vicinity ) is already inherent within us, His names our manifested within ourselves i.e. al-Latif (The Subtle/Kind), al-Khaliq (The Creator), al-Qadir (The Powerful), al-Alim (The Aware/omniscient/wise), al-Wadud (The Loving).


 Ubudiat ( Submission/devotion/,obedience) has stages and ultimately it is to become connected to the divine names of the beloved. A human can reach a stage that he sees nothing but the divine names in all actions and events sustained by Allah, this is true meaning of Qurb! The verse that Allah says he places a caliph upon this Earth to become recipient of this cognizance to become possessor of manifesting within his heart: Knowledge, Love, Mercy. This is true meaning of creation; 'Ubudiat'!


God creates to introduce his creation to 'ubudiat' out of mercy and not create out of hard deterministic personal whims!


 ‘Al-Razzaq’ is one who is the source and essence with power of being the provider and the ultimate sustaining source whilst anything but Him are mere instruments of his mercy. Everything else other than the provider is but an instrument of reciprocating the divine plan of mercy. ‘Zanub’ ( sins/vices ) is a peculiar term within the Arab lexical field of vocabulary [Zariat, verse 59]. Our actions are seeds within the Earth, where in ‘akhira’ (life hereafter) it grows and manifests into light and darkness, pain or pleasure, proximity with the beloved or distance from the beloved.


 From reference to hadith literature there is reference to this in light of Quranic eschatology (study of the life after death) to highlight this point. For example we may recite verses of the Holy Quran, these then manifests as beautiful celestial light for the angels who peer from the heavens upon earth. But think if we then follow and manifest the light of guidance and light of insight into the Qur’an both theory and practice what a majestic star this would become!?


 We pray we are counted among those sincere servants ‘abd’ of Allah, striving to grasp the light of revelation and guidance, perhaps we too may have the Qur’an come to our aid as an interceding friend ‘Qarin’ and light ‘noor’ in life after death.