Concept of Allah - 2

Question:-

Can you clarify some things for me?

(a) What is the difference between "Reality" and "the Real"? You seem to use both words.

(b) Reality (Al-Haq) does not always refer to Allah in the Quran. Eg. the short surat al-asr which ends (in arabic): "...wa tawasaw bil-HAQI wa tawasaw bi sabr." can be translated as "strive for truth and strive for patience". So it can be translated as simply "truth".

(c) Al-Haq (The Reality) is one of the 99 names of Allah but the names are attributed and not the essence of Allah. How do you explain that when you say "Reality" is the Ultimate Reality?

Comment:-

My answer will, of course, be my opinion based on my studies but also on my limitations. Similarly, everything I write will be understood by readers according to their knowledge and also their limitations. I will give as comprehensive an answer as I can, but it will be up to you to confirm and understand or not, accept or not.

As Allah is ONE and indivisible, the attributes of Allah are not separate things but different aspects of Allah - points of view.

"Say: Call unto Allah, or call on Rahman (the Beneficent), unto whichever you call it is the same; for His are the most beautiful names. And do not say your prayers loud-voiced, nor yet silently, but seek a way between these." 17:110

"But Allah belong the most beautiful names; call on Him then thereby, and leave those who pervert (profane or blaspheme against) His names. They shall be rewarded for that which they have done." 7:180

We are also told:-

"He is the First and the Last and the Evident (or Outer) and the Imminent (or Hidden or Inner), and He is Aware of all things." 57:3

"To Allah belongs the East and the West, and wherever you turn there is Allah's face (presence); for verily, Allah is All-pervading and All-Knowing." 2:115

"He (Allah) said: The Truth Is, and the Truth I speak." 38:85

There is, therefore no contradiction between the verses that seem to puzzle you. We are required to strive and surrender to Allah and strive and surrender to Truth.

"Nay, whoever surrenders his face (his will, his whole self) to Allah, and does good, he shall have his reward from his Lord, and no fear shall be on them, and they shall not grieve." 2:112

"Repel not those who call upon their Lord in the morning and in the evening, seeking His Countenance (Face, Presence); they are not accountable to you in anything, and you are not accountable to them in anything. Repel them and you will be of the unjust." 6:52

"And those who patiently persevere, craving their Lord's Countenance, and are steadfast in prayer, and spend, secretly and openly, in charity from what We have bestowed upon them, and overcome evil with good - these shall have the sequel of the final (heavenly) Home. 13:22

"Then give to the near of kin his due, and to the needy and the wayfarer; this is best for those who desire Allah's countenance (presence, pleasure), and these it is who are successful." 30:38

Allah is He who gives reality to things. His word is Truth and the things He creates are made of Truth. Truth is a fundamental reality of which things are made.

"We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them both, save with truth. And, verily, the Hour is surely coming; then do you forgive with a gracious forgiveness." 15:85

"He created the heavens and the earth with truth! Exalted is He above all that which they join with Him!" 16:3

"With truth have We sent it (the Quran) down, and with truth has it descended; and We have not sent you as ought but a herald of glad tidings and a Warner." 17:105

"Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth. Verily, in this is a sign for those have faith." 29:44

"Do they not reflect within themselves: Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them but with Truth, and for an appointed term (or destined end)? But truly most of the people are disbelievers in the meeting with their Lord." 30:8

"He has created the heavens and the earth with Truth;" 39:5

"That (is), because Allah has revealed the Book with truth, but verily those who seek causes of dispute in the Book are in a schism far (from the goal)." 2:176

"O you people! The Messenger has come to you with truth from your Lord: believe, then, in him, for it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then (know) that to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Knower, Wise." 4:170

"Amongst the people of Moses is a section who guide with truth, and thereby act justly." 7:159

Although, all the attributes of Allah such Justice, Compassion, Power etc. are all important, it is necessary to understand that Islam is distinguishable from other religions by its emphasis on Truth. (Hebrewism emphasises Justice and Christianity emphasises Compassion). It is the pursuit of truth that also brings compassion, justice and power.

"Say: O people of the Book! Exceed not in your religion other than the Truth, and follow not the lusts (prejudices, fantasies, superstitions) of a people who have erred in the past, and who lead many astray, and who go astray from the Even Path." 5:77

"O you who believe! You have charge of (or guardianship of) your own souls; he who errs can do you no hurt if you are rightly guided. Unto Allah will you all return, and He will declare to you the truth of that which you did." 5:105

"And say: Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished! Verily, falsehood is ever bound to vanish. And We will send down of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers, though it only increases the wrong-doers in ruin." 17:81-82

"He it is Who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may make it overcome all religions, though the polytheists may be averse." 61:9

"He it is who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to make it prevail over every other religion, however averse to this the disbelievers may be!" 9:33

"And follow (or pursue) not that of which you have no knowledge; verily, the hearing, the sight, and the heart, of all of these it shall be asked (to give an account)." 17:36

I hope this answer is helpful.

Question:-

Thanks for your reply. You responded well on question (c) and a bit on question (b) but did not respond at all on question (a). To put it in words differently:-

(a) Is there no difference when you use the (English!) words "The Real" and "The Reality", are they just synonyms you use referring to the same "thing"?

Comment:-

I replied according to my knowledge and understanding. You appear to be introducing unnecessary complications. I am sorry if my wording has caused confusion. The meaning should be taken from the context. Can you give me examples of where I used "The Real" and "The Reality".

As I have pointed out, Allah created the Universe and all things in it with Truth. Truth is His Word. He says only Be and it is.

Allah > Word > creation

Though created things are made of Truth they are not Allah. When referring to Allah I have used such phrases as "the fundamental Reality". When speaking about created things I have distinguished between the real thing, the experience of it and description of it.

Question:-

(b1) Are you saying that in Arabic there is no capital letter to distinguish between reality and Reality (both written in Arabic as Al-Haq)? If yes, Did you know the word "Al-Haq" also has a feminine form in Arabic (al-haqiqah) that is used also in the Quran but never as a name of Allah (all names of Allah are in the masculine form). What is your understanding of that? But then I can think of the explanation that reality is masculine depending on the word it refers to and Allah is gender neutral (or better "gender-free") and in Arabic gender neutral words are masculine (there is no "it" in Arabic). What is your understanding of this?

Comment:-

I was not speaking about the Arabic language, I was using English to convey meanings and significance whatever the language. If you want to know about Arabic please consult an expert on that.

Question:-

(b2) Can we compare some verses in the Quran that speak about Truth or Reality (Al-Haq) vs. truth/reality (Al-Haq or al-Haqiqah) like we understand the relation between "The Most-Merciful" (Ar-Rahmaan) vs. mercy (Ar-rahma) as explained in this Hadith:-

Narrated Abu Huraira: "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, Allah divided Mercy into one-hundred parts and He kept its ninety-nine parts with Him and sent down its one part on the earth, and because of that, its one single part, His creations are Merciful to each other, so that even the mare lifts up its hoofs away from its baby animal, lest it should trample on it." (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab), Volume 8, Book 73, Number 29)"

"Salman Farisi reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Verily, there are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allah, and it is one part of this mercy by virtue of which there is mutual love between the people and ninety-nine reserved for the Day of Resurrection. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, The Book Pertaining to Repentance and Exhortation to Repentance (Kitab Al-Tauba), Book 037, Number 6632)"

Did Allah in the same way "send down" reality/truth and the same with all his other attributes? In this way are all Allah's attributes manifested in this universe?

Comment:-

I would say that is true. The attributes of Allah are not separate, but aspects of the same thing. As I said before:-

The Attributes of Allah are manifested in the Universe. The Universe would not exist but for these. The Attributes are understood relative to Creation and relate the Creator with the Created.

They are also the fundamental categories of thought by which we perceive and know the things in the Universe. Without them we would not know the things in the Universe. The manifest Universe is inter-dependant with our ability to perceive it. That is, we see the Universe according to our powers of perception.

There is a difference between the Universe as created by Allah and our experience of it, and neither is the same thing as our verbal description of it. Apart from this, there is a world of Potentialities of which the Actual world is a small part - this arises from the interactions at each instant of all the particles in it.

A distinction should be made between the Origin, the Principles, the Potentialities and the Actualities. A further three distinctions is between the experiences we have, the awareness of them and the descriptions.

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