The Universe & Its Natural Order

When Allah created the Universe, he made it all in proportion, and protected it with an Absolute Law (Qadr).

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَـٰهُ بِقَدَرٍ۬
Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure. Surah Al Qamar verse 49

Qadr is mathematical, scientific, calculated. Everything has been created in proportion.

So Allah puts over this, His Ultimate Law (Qadr) in order to maintain Balance in the Universe.

An example of Qadr would be, the unseen currents that keep the planets orbiting, that regulates the movements of the sun and the moon, and which regulates the weather.

It is also in the way there is perfect percentage of different gases in the air, which holds the balance and keeps the universe as it is. In that same manner, we breathe a certain percentage of these air to maintain our existence.

The moment we do something to upset this balance, say cause an explosion that releases huge percentage of some other gases… it will be followed by a chain of reactions… our body will naturally react… the ecology of existence will be altered… and we will then find that the universe has an auto-reset mechanism… which bring things back into balance.

Allah highlights to us the importance in maintaining balance, in the Quran:

وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلۡمِيزَانَ (٧) أَلَّا تَطۡغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡمِيزَانِ (٨) وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلۡوَزۡنَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ وَلَا تُخۡسِرُواْ ٱلۡمِيزَانَ (٩

And the sky He hath uplifted; and He hath set the balance in measure. That ye exceed not the balance, But observe the balance strictly, nor fall short thereof. Ar Rahman 55:7-9

In a natural disaster happens, we say, “That has been proportioned, and what Allah wills happens”

ورود المصائب عليه، ولذا جاء في الأدب النبوي قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: فإن أصابك شيء فلا تقل: لو أني فعلت كذا لكان كذا وكذا،

ولكن قل: قدر الله وما شاء الله فعل. رواه مسلم

Qadha is Allah’s Will and Decree – which includes the systemic laws of cause and consequence.

The Universe & the Earth, is almost mechanical. Once it reaches maximum limit, it blows, to re-set.

إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمۡرً۬ا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ ۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ

When He has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” – and it is. Surah Ali Imran: 47

So why is this important to us?

This is because our soul, nafs and intellect together, is a world of its own. The human body, being of earth material, has the same reactionary tendencies to balance and harmony. It reacts to the changes in the weather and atmosphere – even to psychological stresses.

Allah is Fair, Gracious and Compassionate. In His Wisdom, He has chosen and decided several ground rules to help us along – to remain safe in the natural order of things. We find these rules revealed to us in the Quran.

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ

Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him (Surah Al Isra 17:23)

Humans and jinnis who recognise and act according to what Allah has decided – find themselves more resilient to the challenges of this world. However, when there is imbalance and disharmony – despair and grievances – chances are, some rule has been broken or boundaries crossed.

Human Beings and Jinnis have been given intellect – an ability to make decisions. Based on our choices and decisions, a certain pattern is set in motion – in the natural order of things. Sometimes, due to our limited capacity, we make wrong decisions. Our Most Loving and Gracious Creator, urges our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيم
Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): O My servants who have wronged themselves! Don’t remove yourselves from the Compassion of Allah. Verily, Allah forgives sins – entirely. 
Verily, He is the Ever Forgiving, The Most Loving.
(Surah Az Zumar 53)

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explains

الدُعَاءُ يَرُدُّ الْقَضَاء، وَإِنَّ الْبِرّ يَزِيدُ فِي الرِّزقِ، وَإِنَّ الْعَبْدُ لَيَحْرُمَ ‏الرِّزق بِالذَّنْبِ يُصِيبُهُ. رواه الترمذي والحاكم واللفظ له.‏

Supplications diverts Al-Qadha (Systematic – In the natural order of things). Righteousness will cause increase in a person’s provisions. And the slave is deprived of his provisions, by the sins that has encompassed himself.

Qadha = Decree & Decision

Qadr = Amount, Measure, Proportion, Degree

Allahu a’lam. Everything that is correct here comes from Allah – and all mistakes here comes from this faqeerah billah – Noraini Abdul Wahab.

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ أَيُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلاً۬‌ۚ

وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡغَفُورُ

(Allah, is he) Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed.

And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving

Surah Al Mulk 67:2

In the life before this, in alam az-zhar / arwah, we made a covenant with Allah to proof our devotion and love to Him.

We knew we were created to live on earth and were taught the laws of the universe. We submitted to be the other creation besides the Jinnis to be tested. We knew the rewards or punishment to come, following our term on earth.

All created beings were created for specific duties. The Angels were created for a specific reason, and was not equipped with choice. There is no heaven or hell for them.

The mountains, trees, animals were created with a specific purpose, also submitting for a life without choice. There is no heaven and hell for them.

What’s the difference? Allah awarded us with something extra. Choice.

And for that reason, Allah equipped us with an the human mind & it’s Intellectual capacity… العقل… . The ability to create, choose good from bad, and doing what is best – is the ultimate test of life.

It is through the mind and the intellect that the human and jinnis learn intent and make choices. It is this that differentiates the human and jinnis from the basic natural tendencies of the animals (which is the nafsul ammarah).

What will you be tested on?

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ

And surely We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops (possibly sweet successes & prospects); but give glad tidings to the steadfast. Surah Al Baqarah 155

Life is NOT the pursuit of Happiness.

The believer is the person who makes a decision to subscribe – i.e sign up – to be a doer of good – the maintainer of harmony – preserver of balance.

It is a job, or a volunteer position – where prospects are un-grandly, very much limited and mostly unseen – yet you feel good doing it.

Like any good worker (a.k.a servant), the believer believes in the reward that will ultimately come, from the organisation (or his Master / Creator) that he has committed himself to. He does his duties and carries out his responsibility, despite the daily struggles and challenges.

Our Master, Allah azza wa jalla, rewards us for our intent and efforts. The result of the effort, is a bonus and secondary.

Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“How amazing is the case of the believer. There is good for him in everything, and this characteristic is exclusively for him alone. If he experiences something pleasant, he is thankful, and that is good for him; And if he comes across some adversity, he is patient, and that is good for him.”