(Keywords: Universe, Heavens, Skies, Space, Earth, Planets, Stars, Creation, Thankfulness, Gratefulness, Gratitude, Reflection, Contemplation, introspection, and meditation)
Day after day scientists and explorers find new planets, stars and galaxies. Year after year as scientists send spaceships into untouched areas, new and unique features and aspects of Space are discovered. And time and time again as more and more secrets and mysteries are revealed, scientists and explores conclude how wide the Universe is and how limited their knowledge of its intricate, precise and complex systems is.
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قال الله عز وجل: { لَخَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ} سورة غافر، 57 . ـ
God the Exalted says: { Indeed the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, yet most of mankind know not} Surah 40, verse 57.
In the verse above, God the Exalted draws our attention to two sides of a spectrum of sizes; one gigantic and one minuscule, one super-large and one super- tiny, one far and distant and the other one close and nearby, and one out of reach and imagination in outer space and the other within reach and physical boundaries. The two sides of the spectrum mentioned are the Extraterrestrial Skies and the Human Body.
The Almighty God instructs the humans to reflect on those two creations of His, namely the Skies and the human body, and ponder upon their intricate and complex designs, their exact and accurate precision, their wonderful and amazing mechanism, and the many secrets and numerous mysteries that lie within. Then God reminds us that it is He Who created all of that and everything is under His command. God the Exalted says:
قال الله عز وجل: { ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ} سورة غافر، 62. ـ
God the Exalted says: { That is God, your Lord, the Creator of all things, none has the right to be worshiped but He, so why then do you turn away (from His worship)} Surah 40, verse 57.
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Indeed, we see the signs of God’s creation everywhere we look. We see the Greatness and Majesty of God anywhere we look in the Universe.
Consider any part of the great universe and you see a sign of the Almighty God. Consider the skies; consider the sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars. Consider the earth, the mountains, the oceans, and the trees. Consider the people, the animals, the insects, and the birds. Who created all of them and who takes care of all them? It is only God -the Exalted.
Then ponder and reflect upon your body and its wonderful and intricate design. Consider the upright body shape, the body systems, the body organs and limbs, and the body tissues. Reflect on the precise way the body functions, upon the complex way the body systems do their tasks, and reflect upon the amazing way the body systems work in unison to produce maximum effects. Ponder upon the different types of cells, consider the blood vessels and the nerves, consider the amazing organs like the heart and brain, and consider the defense or immune system and its tiny components.
Then consider who provides for that body and who sustains it. Who provides people with food, health, wealth and everything? Who cures the body when it gets sick, who allows the injuries and the broken bone to heal and get well, and who allows the sick organ to get well again. Consider who provides money to the poor so they can survive, who grants sustenance to the needy so they can live, and who provides for people so they can enjoy this life? When people are in need, whom do they pray? When they are in distress, whom do they ask for help? It is only God. Thus now we realize some of the Greatness and Majesty of the King of kings.
Reflection upon the creation of the Great Creator, God, is the characteristics of the true believer.
Indeed, everywhere the believer looks, he sees the amazing creation of the Great Lord, God. When the believer looks at the sky, he wonders at its hugeness, its smoothness, its height, and its existence without support. When he looks at the earth, he wonders at its mountains and valleys, its seas and oceans, its gardens and deserts, and its trees and fruits. When he considers people, he sees an amazing creation; their body make, their coloring, their nature, their mind, their language, and their features. When he considers animals, he is amazed by their variety; birds of all types, insects of all types, and different animals.
Indeed, in all of that is a strong sign for the believer that there is a Great Lord, God, Who created all of this. And that all of this was created for a purpose, so that the believer would testify to the Majesty and Greatness of the King of kings, God, to submit to this Great Lord in worship, and to purify his intention so that every deed is done for the sake of God alone. God the Exalted says:
قال الله عز وجل: { اللَّهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ قَرَارًا وَالسَّمَاءَ بِنَاءً وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (64) هُوَ الْحَيُّ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} سورة غافر، 64-65. ـ
God the Exalted says: {
64. It is God Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place and the sky as a canopy, Who has given you shape and perfected your form, and Who has provided you with good things. That is God, your Lord, then blessed be God, the Lord of the worlds.
65. God is the Ever Living; none has the right to be worshiped but He, so call upon, being sincere to Him in religion. All praise and thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds} Surah 40, verse 64-65.
Reflection upon God’s creation makes the believer realize the great bounties God -the Exalted- bestowed upon mankind. God has created a sky to shade them, clouds to rain water on them, trees to bear fruits for them, seas and rivers to store water for them, mines that keep fuel and minerals for them, and numerous other bounties. God -the Exalted- also granted the son of Adam a mind to use these bounties and live in this life. So the believer must appreciate these bounties and thank God for them.
Reflection upon God’s creation makes the Muslim realize that there is another purpose behind this life. Indeed, the real purpose of this life is to worship God and to please Him. The Muslim lives this life with this real purpose in mind, while in the meantime he fulfills his worldly needs.
Reflection upon the great and wonderful creation of God is a great worship and an enlightening means, like it was mentioned about Abu Ad-Darda’ -may God be pleased with him- who said: “Reflection upon God’s creation one night equals the worship of one year!”
And it was narrated that the wife of Abu Dhurr -may God be pleased with them- was asked about his best worshipping. She replied: “He used to sit in the corner of the house and reflect upon the creation of God.”
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The believer should constantly glorify and praise God -the Exalted. The question is then: how does the believer ‘glorify’ and ‘praise’ God? First of all, the believer should try to understand some of the Greatness and Mightiness of God. It is not enough to glorify and praise God with the tongue, rather the believer should also mean that by his heart. The believer should glorify and praise God with his heart by realizing some of the Greatness of God. That comes through pondering and reflecting upon God’s creation. Once the believer reflects upon the great creation of God, then his tongue and heart would mention and glorify his Great Lord, God.
Then, the believer should consider and reflect upon the great creation of God, and know that there is a purpose for everything. Indeed, everything was created by the Great Lord, God. These creations didn’t come by chance or randomly, they didn’t create themselves, rather the Great Creator, God, created every one of them.
The believer should then glorify God, attest to His Greatness and Majesty, and thank God for each bounty. The believer should also ponder upon the real purpose of this life and that is to worship God and please Him. The believer should reflect upon his death and prepare for the Hereafter.
When the believer considers those wonderful creations of God; thanks Him for it; and ponders upon life and death, then his faith or Iman increases, his awareness of the reality of life becomes apparent, and his reward is multiplied. And God knows best.
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