God teaches the humanity in stages for the advancement of human civilization, scientific discoveries and update and clarification of religious teachings fitting to all generations of people (communities). We are now in the ‘Information Age’ while Knowledge is our capital, logic and proofs are our strength to lead life in a meaningful way. Today, we do not just assume what we did in the past but we have more concern about how to understand different aspects of our life and its interaction with everything what is happening around us. However, we should make our sincere initiatives to address what we are encountering every day in a manner that at least our common sense and simple logic support our ideas and actions.
There is no doubt that our knowledge is limited but still we have the opportunity to explore God’s system to understand it better. As we learn from the first murder through raven (crow) sent by God how to scratch the soil and bury the corpse (5:31) and learn from the invention of wheel to give speed to our life, now it is the time for us to learn from the use of information technology for task automation, faster and real time data processing, storing, retrieval, updating and removing of information that God is in full control of His great dominion through His extra-ordinary sophisticated information system that we may term it the Sophisticated Universal System. Thus, it is apparent to us that every single thing, subsystem and system whether it is on earth or is in any of the seven universes is connected to the God’s Sophisticated Universal System to function as a fully and entirely integrated system for the flow of His commands, laws, decision, response on 24 hours basis to interact with His all creations/creatures in the seven universes at a faster speed unimaginable to us considering the infinite boundary of His dominion. If we can think of God’s Master Plan, we can also think of His Universal System to implement His plan from creation to the recreation of the universe addressing all matters/events in between. However, such God’s integrated system is highlighted with respect to communication between God and us to better understand our guidance, accountability and judgment in light of Quran as it is exceptionally important for those who expect the eternal life and wish to well prepare them for it:
[5:31] God then sent a raven to scratch the soil, to teach him how to bury his brother’s corpse. He said, “Woe to me; I failed to be as intelligent as this raven, and bury my brother’s corpse.” He became ridden with remorse.
Creation of the Universe
The implementation of God’s Master Plan starts with the creation of the expanding universe and everything within it. He has created it with least effort but we do not see any imperfection in His creation, which urges us to think of His extremely efficient system to play a crucial role to make it flawless.
[21:30] Do the unbelievers not realize that the heaven and the earth used to be one solid mass that we exploded into existence? And from water we made all living things. Would they believe?
[7:54] Your Lord is the one God, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then assumed all authority. The night overtakes the day, as it pursues it persistently, and the sun, the moon, and the stars are committed to serve by His command. Absolutely, He controls all creation and all commands. Most Exalted is God, Lord of the universe.
[10:53] Your only Lord is God; the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then assumed all authority. He controls all matters. There is no intercessor, except in accordance with His will. Such is God your Lord. You shall worship Him. Would you not take heed?
[25:29] He is the One who created the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, in six days, then assumed all authority. The Most Gracious; ask about Him those who are well founded in knowledge.
[32:4] God is the One who created the heavens and the earth, and everything between them in six days, then assumed all authority. You have none beside Him as Lord, nor do you have an intercessor. Would you not take heed?
[50:38] We have created the heavens and the earth, and everything between them in six days, and no fatigue touched us.
[67:3] He created seven universes in layers. You do not see any imperfection in the creation by the Most Gracious. Keep looking; do you see any flaw?
[13:2] God is the One who raised the heavens without pillars that you can see, then assumed all authority. He committed the sun and the moon, each running (in its orbit) for a predetermined period. He controls all things, and explains the revelations, that you may attain certainty about meeting your Lord.
[31:10] He created the heavens without pillars that you can see. He established on earth stabilizers (mountains) lest it tumbles with you, and He spread on it all kinds of creatures. We send down from the sky water to grow all kinds of beautiful plants.
[2:117] The Initiator of the heavens and the earth: to have anything done, He simply says to it, “Be,” and it is.
[6:73] He is the One who created the heavens and the earth, truthfully. Whenever He says, “Be,” it is. His word is the absolute truth. All sovereignty belongs to Him the day the horn is blown. Knower of all secrets and declarations, He is the Most Wise, the Cognizant.
His dominion under His Full Control
God has not only created the universe but He has also full control over His Kingdom and ruling it never burdens Him. He knows everything irrespective of size and weight what is in the heavens and on the earth. Nothing is hidden from Him whether it is smaller or larger, not even the equivalent of an atom’s weight:
[2:255] … No one attains any knowledge, except as He wills. His dominion encompasses the heavens and the earth, and ruling them never burdens Him. He is the Most High, the Great.
[57:4]… He knows everything that enters into the earth, and everything that comes out of it, and everything that comes down from the sky, and everything that climbs into it. He is with you wherever you may be. God is Seer of everything you do.
[35:13] He merges the night into the day, and merges the day into the night. He has committed the sun and the moon to run for a predetermined period of time. Such is God your Lord; to Him belongs all kingship. Any idols you set up beside Him do not possess as much as a seed’s shell.
[6:95] God is the One who causes the grains and the seeds to crack and germinate. He produces the living from the dead, and the dead from the living. Such is God; how could you deviate!
[6:59] With Him are the keys to all secrets; none knows them except He. He knows everything on land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls without His knowledge. Nor is there a grain in the depths of the soil. Nor is there anything wet or dry,that is not recorded in a profound record.
[35:11]… No female becomes pregnant, nor gives birth, without His knowledge. No one survives for a long life, and no one’s life is snapped short, except in accordance with a pre-existing record. This is easy for God.
[65:12] God created seven universes and the same number of earths. The commands flow among them. This is to let you know that God is Omnipotent, and that God is fully aware of all things.
[34:3]…He is the Knower of the future. Not even the equivalent of an atom’s weight is hidden from Him, be it in the heavens or the earth. Not even smaller than that, or larger (is hidden). All are in a profound record.”
[87:7] Everything is in accordance with God’s will; He knows what is declared, and what is hidden.
Matters are Controlled in an Amazingly Faster Manner
God’s commands are done within the blink of an eye. His angels accomplish in one day, what takes humans 50, 000 years to accomplish. In other words, while a destination far in space, could be reached in one day by God’s angels, it takes humans 50, 000 years to reach the same destination. Although the concept of time dilation sheds some light on how things are controlled by God in an efficient and amazingly faster manner but this awesome efficiency and speed are simply far beyond our imagination and far beyond our comprehension, even now after we learned about time dilation and related laws:
[54:50] Our commands are done within the blink of an eye.
[70:4] The angels, with their reports, climb to Him in a day that equals fifty thousand years.
[32:5] He controls the command from the heaven to the earth, then it ascends to Him in a day which is measured to one thousand years of what you count.
[2:117] The Initiator of the heavens and the earth, and when He decrees a command, He only says to it: “Be” so it is.
His workforce runs and keeps up His system
The workforce is an integral component of any system, which is required to keep up and run any system that we also see for the involvement of angels with His system as the angels serve the throne 24 hours. Such system enables them to serve Him faithfully but efficiently and amazingly faster manner according to His will:
[2:98] Anyone who opposes God, and His angels, and His messengers, and Gabriel and Michael, should know that God opposes the disbelievers.
[2:210] Are they waiting until God Himself comes to them in dense clouds, together with the angels? When this happens, the whole matter will be terminated, and to God everything will be returned.
[3:39] The angels called him when he was praying in the sanctuary: “God gives you good news of John; a believer in the word of God, honorable, moral, and a righteous prophet.”
[3:42] The angels said, “O Mary, God has chosen you and purified you. He has chosen you from all the women.
[3:45] The angels said, “O Mary, God gives you good news: a Word from Him whose name is `The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary. He will be prominent in this life and in the Hereafter, and one of those closest to Me.’
[3:124] When you said to the believers, “Is it not enough for you that your Lord supports you with three thousand angels who are sent down?”
[3:125] Indeed, if you are steadfast and you fear (God), then they attack you suddenly, your Lord will support you with five thousand of the skilled angels.
[4:97] Those whose lives are terminated by the angels, while in a state of wronging their souls, the angels will ask them, “What was the matter with you?” They will say, “We were oppressed on earth.” They will say, “Was God’s earth not spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?” For these, the final abode is Hell, and a miserable destiny.
[8:50] If you could only see those who disbelieved when the angels put them to death! They will beat them on their faces and their rear ends: “Taste the retribution of Hell.
[13:23] They enter the gardens of Eden, together with the righteous among their parents, their spouses, and their children. The angels will enter to them from every door.
[15:8] We do not send down the angels except for specific functions. Otherwise, no one will be respited.
[16:28] He sends down the angels with the revelations, carrying His commands, to whomever He chooses from among His servants: “You shall preach that there is no other god beside Me; You shall reverence Me.”
[16:49] To God prostrates everything in the heavens and everything on earth – every creature – and so do the angels; without the least arrogance.
[25:25] The heaven will break apart, into masses of clouds, and the angels will descend in multitudes.
[39:75] You will see the angels floating around the throne, glorifying and praising their Lord. After the equitable judgment is issued to all, it will be proclaimed: “Praise be to God, Lord of the universe.”
[41:30] Those who proclaim: “Our Lord is God,” then lead a righteous life, the angels descend upon them: “You shall have no fear, nor shall you grieve. Rejoice in the good news that Paradise has been reserved for you.
[50:17] Two recording (angels), at right and at left, are constantly recording.
[66:6] O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from the Hellfire whose fuel is people and rocks. Guarding it are stern and powerful angels who never disobey God; they do whatever they are commanded to do.
[70:4] The angels, with their reports, climb to Him in a day that equals fifty thousand years.
[97:4] The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by their Lord’s leave, with every command.
Presence of God Everywhere
The Quran has confirmed God’s presence everywhere. He responds while we pray and repent to Him as He is Near and Responsive as well as He is listening and watching us. The technologies like video conferencing and skyping being real-time data processing may help us to think of His system to confirm His presence everywhere as well as His listening and watching us:
[2:186] When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided.
[11:61] To Thamoud we sent their brother Saaleh. He said, “O my people, worship God; you have no other god beside Him. He initiated you from the earth, then settled you in it. You shall seek His forgiveness, then repent to Him. My Lord is always Near, Responsive.”
[5:117] “I (Jesus) told them only what You commanded me to say, that: `You shall worship God, my Lord and your Lord.’ I was a witness among them for as long as I lived with them. When You terminated my life on earth, You became the Watcher over them. You witness all things.”
[4:1] O people, observe your Lord; the One who created you from one being, and created from it its mate, then spread from the two many men and women. You shall regard God, by whom you swear, and regard the parents. God is watching over you.
[20:46] He said, “Do not be afraid, for I will be with you, listening and watching.
[89:14] Your Lord is the Ever Watchful.
Accountability and Reckoning
God has created us and provided us with all provisions expecting appreciation from us. It is known to many of us that He has placed us on earth giving us an opportunity to redeem our sin,and we all will return to Him when our interim ends on earth. Hence, we are accountability to Him for our works that need to be done in accordance with His teachings and laws. God, being merciful on us, has sent down guidance that has His teachings so that we can be appreciative to Him in a right way (religion) for our successful return to Him. He sent down guidance in the form of scripture and other forms and also set examples for us to learn from our surroundings including many discoveries. Even He has placed positioning system in our brain that we learn recently from the research work of John O’Keefe et al who won the Nobel Prize in 2014 “for their discoveries of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain”. This discovery may serve as a physical evidence for many of us to envisage our final destination as well as encourage us to take initiative to be appreciative to God:
[11:7]… His (earthly) domain was completely covered with water in order to test you, to distinguish those among you who work righteousness. Yet, when you say, “You will be resurrected after death,” those who disbelieve would say, “This is clearly witchcraft.”
[16:49] To God prostrates everything in the heavens and everything on earth – every creature – and so do the angels; without the least arrogance.
[51:56] I did not create the jinns and the humans except to worship Me alone.
[66:6] O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from the Hellfire whose fuel is people and rocks. Guarding it are stern and powerful angels who never disobey God; they do whatever they are commanded to do.
[42:13] He decreed for you the same religion decreed for Noah, and what we inspired to you, and what we decreed for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: “You shall uphold this one religion, and do not divide it.” The idol worshipers will greatly resent what you invite them to do. GOD redeems to Himself whomever He wills; He guides to Himself only those who totally submit.
[67:24] Say, “He is the One who placed you on earth, and before Him you will be summoned.”
[10:31]Say, “Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Who controls all the hearing and the eyesight? Who produces the living from the dead, and the dead from the living? Who is in control of all things?” They would say, “God.” Say, “Why then do you not observe the commandments?”
God has informed us that He is the most efficient reckoner. He maintains a precise record for every one (every soul) of us for our works as two recorders on our right and left are recording constantly and He is able to reconstruct our fingers tips. The maintaining of precise record for every one of us also conforms to the concept of storing data in the database to uniquely identify each row through primary key and the fact table of star schema for analysis to update the record every moment. Thus, all are in a profound record that we know from the Quran determines our requital, which is either His forgiveness or His punishment that we all know at the time of our death:
[33:39] Those who deliver God’s messages, and who reverence Him alone, shall never fear anyone but God. God is the most efficient reckoner.
[34:3] Those who disbelieve have said, “The Hour will never come to pass!” Say, “Absolutely – by my Lord – it will most certainly come to you. He is the Knower of the future. Not even the equivalent of an atom’s weight is hidden from Him, be it in the heavens or the earth. Not even smaller than that, or larger (is hidden). All are in a profound record.”
[50:16] We created the human, and we know what he whispers to himself. We are closer to him than his jugular vein.
[50:17] Two recording (angels), at right and at left, are constantly recording.
[17:13] We have recorded the fate of every human being; it is tied to his neck. On the Day of Resurrection we will hand him a record that is accessible.
[57:22] Anything that happens on earth, or to you, has already been recorded, even before the creation. This is easy for God to do.
[75:4] Yes indeed; we are able to reconstruct his finger tip.
[46:32] Those who fail to respond to God’s call cannot escape, and will have no Lord other than Him; they have gone far astray.
[75:10-11] The human being will say on that day, “Where is the escape?” Absolutely, there is no escape.
[8:50] If you could only see those who disbelieved when the angels put them to death! They will beat them on their faces and their rear ends: “Taste the retribution of Hell.
[16:32] The angels terminate their lives in a state of righteousness, saying, “Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise (now) as a reward for your works.”
The End of the World and Resurrection
The knowledge about the Hour (the End of the World) is with God (33:63) and He will almost keep it hidden which is surely coming (20:15). There are many signs given in the Quran on the time of the End of the World (44:10)but He has also given us hints in the Quran (15:87, 18:25) to calculate that the world will end in 1710 A.H., which coincides with 2280 A.D. supported by many other verses of the Quran. However, the End of the World and the Resurrection would happen simultaneously and would not happen without any divine sophisticated system.
[33:63] … The knowledge thereof is only with God. For all that you know, the Hour may be close.
[44:10] Therefore, watch for the day when the sky brings a profound smoke.
[20:15] The Hour (end of the world) is surely coming; I will keep it almost hidden, for each soul must be paid for its works.
[15:87] We have given you the seven pairs, and the great Quran.
[18:25] They stayed in their cave three hundred years, increased by nine.
[36:53] All it will take is one blow, whereupon they are summoned before us.
[50:20] The horn is blown; this is the promised day.
[69:13] When the horn is blown once.
[79:7] Followed by the second blow.
[36:51] The horn will be blown, whereupon they will rise from the grave and go to their Lord.
[38:68] The horn will be blown, whereupon everyone in the heavens and the earth will be struck unconscious, except those who will be spared by God. Then it will be blown another time, whereupon they will all rise up, looking.
[27:87] On the day when the horn is blown, everyone in the heavens and the earth will be horrified, except those chosen by God. All will come before Him, forcibly.
[36:51] The horn will be blown, whereupon they will rise from the grave and go to their Lord.
[78:18] The day the horn is blown, and you come in throngs.
The Final Judgment
The Quran has not only confirmed the Day of Judgment followed by the end of the world but has also ensured equitable judgment. God will be Master of the Day of Judgment (1:4) and He will establish the scales of justice so that no soul suffers least injustice. All decisions will belong to Him and no apology or intercession will be accepted from anyone. Everyone will receive his/her record just like a medal that we receive at the end of any game or competition. Even, after the judgment is over, the praising of God will be continued.
[16:111] The day will come when every soul will serve as its own advocate, and every soul will be paid fully for whatever it had done, without the least injustice.
[21:47] We will establish the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection. No soul will suffer the least injustice. Even the equivalent of a mustard seed will be accounted for. We are the most efficient reckoners.
[22:10] This is what your hands have sent ahead for you. God is never unjust towards the people.
[40:17] On that day, every soul will be requited for whatever it had earned. There will be no injustice on that day. God is most efficient in reckoning.
[53:38] No soul bears the sins of another soul.
[82:19] That is the day when no soul can help another soul, and all decisions, on that day, will belong to God.
[99:6-8] On that day, the people will issue from every direction, to be shown their works. Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.
[39:75] You will see the angels floating around the throne, glorifying and praising their Lord. After the equitable judgment is issued to all, it will be proclaimed: “Praise be to God, Lord of the universe.”
[78:38] The day will come when the Spirit and the angels will stand in a row. None will speak except those permitted by the Most Gracious, and they will utter only what is right.
[89:22] And your Lord comes, together with the angels in row after row.
[69:17] The angels will be all around, and Your Lord’s dominion will then encompass eight (universes).
[69:19] As for the one who receives his record with his right hand, he will say, “Come read my record.
[69:25] As for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, “Oh, I wish I never received my record.
Equitable Requital
Followed by equitable judgment, every soul will be requited whatever it had earned. Those who deserve forgiveness from their Lord will receive their recompense in accordance with their ranks and those who have incurred Hell will suffer a painful and everlasting retribution precisely equivalent to their sins:
[99:7-8] Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it
Those who deserve forgiveness from their Lord will receive their recompense in accordance their ranks attained at God. Some of them will be granted higher Heaven while others will be granted lower Heaven. The believing men and women who will be radiating their lights ahead of them enter higher Heaven while the believing men and women who will be radiating their lights to their right enter lower Heaven.
[4:49] Have you noted those who exalt themselves? Instead, God is the One who exalts whomever He wills, without the least injustice.
[46:19] They all attain the ranks they have deserved, in accordance with their works. He will pay them for their works, without the least injustice.
[57:12] The day will come when you see the believing men and women with their lights radiating ahead of them and to their right. Good news is yours that, on that day, you will have gardens with flowing streams. You will abide therein forever. This is the great triumph.
[66:8] …On that day, God will not disappoint the prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will radiate in front of them and to their right….
Those who have incurred Hell will suffer a painful and everlasting retribution precisely equivalent to their sins. The Hell will have seven gates and each one will be committed to enter the Hell through the gate assigned him to suffer a specific share of his retribution in it.
[28:84] As for those who commit sins, the retribution for their sins is precisely equivalent to their works.
[4:145] The hypocrites will be committed to the lowest pit of Hell, and you will find no one to help them.
[15:42-43] ….”You (Satan) only have power over the strayers who follow you. And Hell awaits them all.”
[15:44] It will have seven gates. Each gate will get a specific share of them.”
Conclusion
God tells us repeatedly to strive in the cause of Him which means we should be better tomorrow than yesterday, even today to get closer to Him. Seemingly, we input data into His system through our praise and prayers in the form of intention, voice and actions in all relevant fields and submit for processing, i.e., for His response using other controls in His system. His system is so precise that there are no placeholders for extra or man-made input and it does not matter how good it is from human point of view. That’s why He has prescribed for us everything what we need to interact with Him using His system and any attempt to put extra input causes error to His system or the system becomes unavailable immediately, and the net gain is nothing as God has warned us that idol worshiping nullifies our all works. For example, the Contact Prayer is decreed at specific times without leaving any opportunity to make up for the missed ones because of the unavailability of the system. Our reflection on His omniscience, omnipotent, omnipresence, full control over His vast kingdom and an efficient and amazingly fast manner lead us to think that everything is being controlled through His Sophisticated Universal System. If we could reflect on the God’s Sophisticated Universal System, we would be able to reflect on the Oneness of God and worship Him alone to see our success in the Hereafter capturing through our God given positioning system expecting our great recompense from Him at the time of our death as well as on the Day of Final Judgment. However, there are also mention of His system in many verses of the Quran that God has robust and immutable system that He has established to control His vast dominion and deal with His creations, creatures and any matter or event related to them whatever we may call it:
[17:77] Such is system with whom certainly we sent our messengers before yours, and you will not find any change in our system.
[35:43] They resorted to arrogance on earth, and evil scheming, and the evil schemes only backfire on those who scheme them. Should they then expect anything but the fate of those who did the same things in the past? You will find that God’s system is never changeable; you will find that God’s system is immutable.
[40:85] So when they saw our punishment they said, “We believe in God alone and we disbelieve in what we used to associate with Him.” Their belief did not benefit them when they saw our punishment. Such is God’s system that has been established with His servants, and the disbelievers were then doomed.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (10/30/2015)