Whisper 18

Once, an American man went missing in Australia. After three months or so, he emerged from the other end of the Australian desert, wearing an ordinary shirt and pair of trousers, with leather sandals on, and a big bottle of water in his hand. Asked why he had braved such a frightening desert alone and with so little equipment, the man said: "I just wanted to discover God." Personally, I couldn't believe my eyes and ears as I saw those TV pictures, having read about the times when Afghan camel leaders took European settlers through the uncharted deserts of the Australian continent.

But does one really need to go to a dangerous place like the Australian desert to "discover God"? It's true that most probably you won't "find" God in the stadium, in the cafe or in the shopping mall--because a lot of things will overshadow Him in there. But just go to the woods or open countryside round your town. Go there alone, with no cam, no walkman, no cigarettes. Just go in your jellaba, or jeans, or shorts, or pyjamas. Go and sit ban,g on the ground, and stop TIME for a while. Open your eyes wide, and your ears, and your heart, and you'll see how small you are and how great you are! Small, because you belong to a planet that is just a drop in the ocean compared to the Universe and you are but a drop in the ocean compared to the billions of creatures that live on this planet. Great, because you belong to a species that has turned this once deserted planet into prosperous cities, ever-growing towns, beautiful villages, nice farms and fields, with lots of good people in them--despite all the evil, all the horrors this same species has caused over time. 

"Lo! We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And man assumed it. Lo! he hath proved a tyrant and a fool."  (Al-Ahzab : 72)

Then raise your eyes to the skies and ask yourself: Does God really exist?  Is there really a life after death? Then let the Koran whisper the answer in your ear:

"Qaf. By the glorious Quran, Nay, but they marvel that a warner of their own hath come unto them; and the disbelievers say: This is a strange thing: When we are dead and have become dust (shall we be brought back again)? That would be a far return! We know that which the earth taketh of them, and with Us is a recording Book. Nay, but they have denied the truth when it came unto them, therefor they are now in troubled case. Have they not then observed the sky above them, how We have constructed it and beautified it, and how there are no rifts therein? And the earth have We spread out, and have flung firm hills therein, and have caused of every lovely kind to grow thereon, A vision and a reminder for every penitent slave. And We send down from the sky blessed water whereby We give growth unto gardens and the grain of crops, And lofty date palms with ranged clusters, Provision (made) for men; and therewith We quicken a dead land. Even so will be the resurrection of the dead." (Qaf : 1-11)
 
"Have We not made the earth an expanse, And the high hills bulwarks? And We have created you in pairs, And have appointed your sleep for repose, And have appointed the night as a cloak,  And have appointed the day for livelihood. And We have built above you seven strong (heavens), And have appointed a dazzling lamp, And have sent down from the rainy clouds abundant Water, Thereby to produce grain and plant, And gardens of thick foliage." (An-Nabaa : 6-16)

"Lo! therein verily is a reminder for him who hath a heart, or giveth ear with full intelligence." (Qaf : 37)

Look up at the sun: isn't it the same sun everyone sees everywhere? It's the same moon all people all around the world know--there's no other moon in our minds when we hear someone from another country or continent speak of the moon. It's the same sky, the same stars, the same earth, the same water, the same air, the same human body, the same human soul. So why couldn't it be the same God Who made all these things for us all? Shouldn't we marvel at the fact that people share the same things and yet worship diffrent gods?

"Is not He (best) who created the heavens and the earth, and sendeth down for you water from the sky wherewith We cause to spring forth joyous orchards, whose trees it never hath been yours to cause to grow. Is there any God beside Allah? Nay, but they are folk who ascribe equals (unto Him)! Is not He (best) Who made the earth a fixed abode, and placed rivers in the folds thereof, and placed firm hills therein, and hath set a barrier between the two seas? Is there any God beside Allah? Nay, but most of them know not! Is not He (best) who answereth the wronged one when he crieth unto Him and removeth the evil, and hath made you viceroys of the earth? Is there any God beside Allah? Little do they reflect! Is not He (best) Who guideth you in the darkness of the land and the sea, He Who sendeth the winds as heralds of His mercy? Is there any God beside Allah? High exalted be Allah from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)! Is not He (best), Who produceth creation, then reproduceth it, and Who provideth for you from the heaven and the earth? Is there any God beside Allah? Say: Bring your proof, if ye are truthful!" (An-Naml : 60-64)

"Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth, and causeth water to descend from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you, and maketh the ships to be of service unto you, that they may run upon the sea at His command, and hath made of service unto you the rivers; And maketh the sun and the moon, constant in their courses, to be of service unto you, and hath made of service unto you the night and the day. And He giveth you of all ye ask of Him, and if ye would count the bounty of Allah ye cannot reckon it. Lo! man is verily a wrong doer, an ingrate." (Ibrahim : 32-34) 

"Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon (to do their work), each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is Informed of what ye do? That (is so) because Allah, He is the True, and that which they invoke beside Him is the False, and because Allah, He is the Sublime, the Great." (Luqman : 29-30)

Innocent Whispers