The Quran says:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَـٰهٌ وَفِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَـٰهٌ ۚ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ

(43:84) – It is He Who is Allah in heaven and Allah on earth; and He is full of Wisdom and Knowledge. [Yusuf Ali]

This warning is from the Almighty Allah, Whose Law is in force in the outer universe as well as in the human world. All control and authority in the universe is with Him; and the entire system works on absolute wisdom and total objective knowledge.

This concept of God as the sole Authority (إِلَـٰهٌ) in the heavens as well as on earth cannot be found in any religion of the world.

The meaning of توحید (Tauheed)

We cannot comprehend this since the concept of Ilah (إِلَـٰهٌ) has been changed. Now it means “the One who is worshipped” rather than its true meaning “the One who is the sole Sovereignty Authority”. This change has demolished the foundation of Islam and changed its fundamental goal. In the human world, we worship God in the form of prayers. However, what kind of worship occurs in the outer world if we use this meaning? The verse clearly spells out that God is Ilah (إِلَـٰهٌ) in the outer world as well. We can see what a great reality the Quran has described here: the entire edifice of the Universe stands on a single “Authority”, whose laws operate in the outer world as well as in the human world. This is the meaning of توحید (Tauheed). This is what it means to believe in Allah. This is what Islam is: to believe in one sole Sovereign Authority whose laws operate in the outer Universe as well as in the human society. In fact, Muslims are required to do scientific research on Nature as part of their Iman and show that Allah is the Ilah (إِلَـٰهٌ) of the outer world. The difference is that Muslims also have to believe that He is also the Ilah (إِلَـٰهٌ) in the human world – unlike others who only believe that He is Ilah (إِلَـٰهٌ) of the heavens but not the Ilah (إِلَـٰهٌ) in the human world.

Revelation inspires thinking and creates cosmic consciousness

What to say about the language, which was chosen by the Almighty Creator of the Universe for His final Book to humanity! قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (43:3) – this is the Arabic Quran so that you can use your intellect to understand it. This is the usual translation. But the words “لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ” are worth pondering over again and again. The Quran has been made easier and clear and is based on truth so that our intellect could get excited and inspired. The goal of the Quran is to enrich and uplift human intellect; to solidify and to deepen it; to broaden and to mature it. But when دین (Deen) turned into مذہب (Madhab) then intellect was castoff and abandoned; and we were told that whatever thinking and intellectual effort that were needed in understanding the Quran, our ancestors have already done that and the door of further thinking is closed; that this is the limit of “تَعْقِلُونَ” that one cannot cross.

Our intellect has been frozen for thousand years

This attitude on the part of our religious scholars has frozen the Islamic thought for more than thousand years and has shut the door of Ijtihad which the Quran wanted it to remain open for all future generations. The Quran was supposed to keep exciting and uplifting our intellect forever as human knowledge advanced with time. But whenever one explains some reality of the Quran using one’s intellect, the first question that is asked is: has anyone said this before?

Well, this is what happens when intellect and thought are kept frozen. They can only mimic: “Has anyone said this before regarding any issue?” And the Quran then remains for only earning rewards, not for exciting our intellect and critical thinking. Now, do we realize why the Quran puts so much emphasis on advancing our intellect: لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (43:3)?

Allama Iqbal says:

The only course open to us is to approach modern knowledge with a respectful but independent attitude and to appreciate the teachings of Islam in the light of that knowledge, even though we may be led to differ from those who have gone before us. [The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, page 78]

Whether it is external Universe or human world – the source of knowledge is Allah

The Quran further says:

وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ

(43:4) – And, verily, [originating as it does] in the source, with Us, of all revelation, it is indeed sublime, full of wisdom. [Asad]

Its origin and source is Allah’s knowledge, which is the basis and dispenser of all Laws. The Quran is not the result of human intellectual effort. This is divine revelation that was revealed to the Prophet (PBUH). Human knowledge is the result of human effort. “أُمِّ” means the source, the essence. So, whether it is the Book of Nature or it is the Book, the Quran – their source is Allah: One contains laws that govern Nature and the other contains laws for optimal governance of human society. One is automatically enforced but the other one is left to human choice. By saying it “لَدَيْنَا” – that We have given it to humanity – the Quran automatically removed any link to human thought including that of the Prophet’s (PBUH). Since the knowledge of revelation ended with the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), no one can receive any knowledge of revelation after him. Thus the prophet-hood ended with him. The Quran became complete and Allah took the guarantee to protect it (15:9).

Allah is eternal, His Book, the Quran is eternal

The Quran says:

هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

(57:3) – He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent: and He has full knowledge of all things. [Yusuf Ali]

Allah is above and beyond time and space. For Him there is no beginning and there is no end. He overpowers everything; but this power is invisible and works imperceptivity. Law is always invisible and non-physical. However, its results can be perceived; and it may be said that His attributes of Creation and Sustenance are the visible manifestations of His being. His being is invisible to the human eyes. In this way one can say that He is Transcendent and Immanent. He has the knowledge of everything.

The laws that drive the objects of the Universe are invisible but their results are obvious and visible. The law of gravity is invisible but the movements caused by it are visible. The laws that govern nature are invisible but their results are clearly visible. The laws that govern the human body are invisible but their results are visible. Similarly, in human affairs, the Quranic principles and values are invisible but when humans follow these principles and values by establishing a system based on them then the result is visible in terms of a heavenly society. And if they don’t, then the result is hell which is clearly visible and felt by everyone, as it is the case now.

Sufism and the wrong concept of pantheism 

The Quran says: يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا (2:26) – It is not difficult to see how different conclusions can be derived from the same premises depending upon one’s mode of thinking, and how one can make the same premise the basis for following either the wrong or the right path. Those who follow the wrong path do not wish to live within the limits prescribed by the Divine Laws.

The foundation of Sufism is based on pantheism which is nothing but the Vedanta of Hindu philosophy. They say that God is in everything by misinterpreting the verse (57:3). Ibn Arabi and Rumi are very famous topmost Sufis. Ibn Arabi says that Pharaoh was right in saying أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَىٰ (79:24). And Rumi says that we Sufis have extracted the brain out of the Quran and have thrown its bones to the dogs.  Sufis believe everything is god. These great Sufis are not run of the mill Sufis who use marijuana and sing and dance. They have written numerous books. They say that etymological word meanings of the Quran are for commoners; that we have deep wisdom and discover the hidden meanings embedded in the words of the Quran. They say there are great hidden meanings embedded in just the words بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ (Bismillah); that we can write many books on it! They also say that the Prophet (PBUH) and Allah are one and the same. They say:

One Who is sitting on the throne as God;
He has descended in Medina as Mustafa!
~
Although he is an Arab in the open and visible;
But in reality he is surely the Sustainer invisible!

One can see the level of Shirk that these Sufis have descended into?  They think they are raising the Prophet’s status but, in fact, they are denigrating his personality.

Allah knew that these Sufis will do such dubious tactics to drive the people away from His message. So, He immediately says that: وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (57:3) – He has the knowledge of everything. He knew what they will be up to. So, he annuls their secret concoctions by saying: وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ (57:4) – He is with you wherever you happen to be. Allah clearly spells out here that he is the هُوَ and you are كُمْ. So, He is already separated. He didn’t say He is in you. He is separate from you but He is always there with you and He observes whatever you do; that you cannot get away from Him no matter how much you try. You will be held accountable for what you do (6:70; 16:111; 52:21), and even what you think 40:19; 17:36).

People think that Sufis spread Islam. Well, what kind of Islam they spread? – that Pharaoh is right in saying that he was great god; that they have taken out the brain from the Quran and have thrown its bones to dogs; that god is in everything and so on and so forth…. This is the kind of fake “Islam” they have spread. In fact, the reality is that they have driven people away from Islam. What can we say what has happened to us?! Is it any wonder then that we have been suffering in hell for thousands of years?

This is the real history of Islam that should be written what has been done to Islam in the name of Islam. It is useless to write history of the chronology and demographics of Muslim rulers in the name of Islamic history. This is what our so-called Islamic scholars write while at the same time accepting what has been handed down to us as Sharia and Sufism – which are mostly against the Quran – by our Imams and Sufis respectively.

Creation of heavens and earth

The Quran says:

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

(57:4) – He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six eons, and is established on the throne of His almightiness. He knows all that enters the earth, and all that comes out of it, as well as all that descends from the skies, and all that ascends to them. And He is with you wherever you may be; and God sees all that you do. [Asad]

Allah has created the heavens and earth after passing them through six different eons; and He has kept its central command and control in His Own Hands. He knows everything that enters the earth and all that comes out of it; as well as all that descends from the sky and all that ascends towards it. He is with you wherever you happen to be and He sees whatever you do.

Sufism and Sharia entered Islam later. These ideas were not there during the first period Islam. When Allah says in the above verse that He created the Universe, then as a Creator He is separate from the created. He was there before He created the Universe. So, how can Ibne Arabi say that He is the pottery maker, He is the mud, He is the cup, He is the drink. This is totally drivel and completely against the concept of Allah.

And then borrowing from the Bible our traditional translators wrongly translated هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ   – He created the world in six days and got tired and He went to His throne and rested and slept. That is why this day is called holy day and is celebrated as Sabbath when no work is done on this day. This holy day later became holiday. And since God rested that day, so, it was declared a day of rest for the people as well. We copied them and we also started celebrating holiday as a day of rest. The Quran never talks about any holiday for Muslims. There is no stoppage of work in Islam.

Allah is beyond space and time

The traditional translation that Allah has a physical throne and He sits on it is wrong. Allah is beyond space and time. He is beyond human thought. The Quran says: لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ ۖ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ  (6:103) – He cannot be comprehended by human mind but He comprehends everything; and everything is in front of him. He is the All-Subtle and the All-Aware. And: : وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ (57:4) – He is with you wherever you happen to be. Further: وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ (50:16) –We are closer to him than his neck-vein. وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ (57:4) – And Allah sees all that you do. And: لَّهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ وَإِلَى اللَّـهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُو (57:5) – He has absolute authority and control over everything in the Universe. Everything revolves around His Laws and every matter is decided according to His Laws. Nothing can escape out of its realm.

Not willing to accept divine laws for running the affairs of human society

So, which God do the Western scientists believe in? Just like the Arabs of the time of the Prophet (PBUH), they believe only in God as the Creator of the heavens and earth and the laws governing them, but not in God who also gave laws to run human affairs. But the Quran says:

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مَهْدًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

(43:10) – He it is who has made the earth a cradle for you, and has provided for you ways [of livelihood] thereon so that you might follow the right path. [Asad]

Although Allah has provided a livelihood for all human beings but the majority of them are deprived because humans have instituted their own socioeconomic and political laws governing human affairs. They reject the divine laws to guide them in human affairs. This system where belief in God is limited to the external natural world and manmade laws govern human affairs is called secularism. This system was challenged by the Prophet (PBUH) when the Quraysh were practicing this system. And even now the same system of secularism is still being practiced in one form or the other.

This secular system is being practiced not just in the West but in all Muslim countries as well. The belief in God is limited to only worship and rituals. There is no Muslim government today where Allah’s Book is the governing authority. Allah has openly and clearly proclaimed:

وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّـهُ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ

(5:44) – And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the Kafirun (i.e. disbelievers - of a lesser degree as they do not act on Allah's Laws). [Hilali & Khan]

There is no Muslim state where Allah’s Book is the governing constitution of the state, notwithstanding their belief in God who is pushed to the heavens only:

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّـهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ

(29:61) – And thus it is [with most people]: if thou ask them, “Who is it that has created the heavens and the earth, and made the sun and the moon subservi­ent [to His laws]?”— They will surely answer, “God.” How perverted, then, are their minds!  [Asad]

Quran’s miraculous description of Earth 1400 years ago   

The Quran says (43:10) says:

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مَهْدًا

(43:10) – He it is who has made the earth a cradle for you, and has provided for you ways [of livelihood] thereon, so that you might follow the right path. [Asad]

مَهْدًا (Mahd) means cradle that is in motion. Regarding earth’s motion, the Quran says:

خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ

(31:10) – He [it is who] has created the skies without any supports that you could see, and has placed firm mountains upon the earth, lest it sway with you, and has caused all manner of living creatures to multiply thereon. And We send down water from the skies, and thus We cause every noble kind [of life] to grow on earth. [Asad]

If you want to estimate Allah’s powers and the wisdom behind all His flawless planning, just have a look at the universe and observe how wonderfully He has placed huge celestial bodies in the outer space without any visible columns (by invisible gravitational pull). Furthermore, he has set huge mountains on earth, in spite of which it continues to rotate at high speed while you abide therein with comfort. Another place the Quran says:

وَأَلْقَىٰ فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْهَارًا وَسُبُلًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

(16:15) – And he has placed firm mountains on earth, lest it sways with you, and rivers and paths, so that you might find your way. [Asad]

Allah has formed the earth in such a way that you may sit on it firmly while it revolves at high speed. He has also created mountains and rivers and land tracks so that you may reach your destination.

We should keep in mind that the Quran said this about the Earth 1400 years ago when the greatest astronomers of the day believed in Ptolemy’s model of the universe in which Earth was considered stationary at the center; and the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets all circled around the Earth. But ponder at the miracle that at that time the Quran said that Allah made the Earth such that it is spinning on its axis and revolving around the sun while carrying humankind perfectly peacefully!