seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Quran 13: In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.
1. Alif, Lam, Meem, Ra. These are the signs of the Scripture. What is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, but most people do not believe.
2. God is He who raised the heavens without pillars that you can see, and then settled on the Throne. And He regulated the sun and the moon, each running for a specified period. He manages all affairs, and He explains the signs, that you may be certain of the meeting with your Lord.
3. And it is He who spread the earth, and placed in it mountains and rivers. And He placed in it two kinds of every fruit. He causes the night to overlap the day. In that are signs for people who reflect.
4. On earth are adjacent terrains, and gardens of vines, and crops, and date-palms, from the same root or from distinct roots, irrigated with the same water. We make some taste better than others. In that are proofs for people who reason.
5. Should you wonder—the real wonder is their saying: “When we have become dust, will we be in a new creation?” Those are they who defied their Lord. Those are they who will have yokes around their necks. Those are the inhabitants of the Fire, where they will remain forever.
6. And they urge you to hasten evil before good, though examples have passed away before them. Your Lord is full of forgiveness towards the people for their wrongdoings, yet your Lord is severe in retribution.
7. Those who disbelieve say, “Why was a miracle not sent down to him from his Lord?” You are only a warner, and to every community is a guide.
New chapter.... new opening commentary.
This chapter is named The Thunder from the analogy of the rain, which is often likened to revelation in the Holy Qur’ån. As the rain is a mercy from Allåh, so is revelation, yet as rain is accompained by thunder and lightning, so revelation is accompained by warning of punishment, though its real object is to confer benefit.
All heavenly bodies are raised high without any pillars that man can see. Those pillars are the laws of gravitation. All heavenly bodies, we are further told, run their course to an appointed term; they have a beginning and an end, as all things on earth have a beginning and an end.
Unity in diversity is observable in the whole of nature, which is a sure sign of the Unity of the great Author of all existence. Besides this, as there is a difference in the produce of different tracts, though they are subject to the same laws of nature, even so are the hearts of men in relation to the growth of the seed of virtue, which is sown by revelation.
The chains spoken of here are the chains which keep them constrained to evil usages and corrupt practices.
Mathulåt is the plural of muthlah, which means a punishment that comes down upon a man so that he is made an example by which another is restrained.
The Makkans were warned again and again, and they demanded that the threatened punishment should overtake them, but they are told that the Merciful God would deal with them not according to their iniquities, but according to His vast and comprehensive forgiveness. But when evil outsteps all bounds, His very mercy, which must be exercised towards His righteous servants, requires that the iniquitous should not be left without punishment. Hence the Lord is also severe in requiting evil.
The words for every people a guide refer to the Holy Prophet. He was a warner indeed; he warned the evildoers of the evil consequences of their evil deeds, but he was ultimately to be a guide for every people, to lead them out of their evil ways and to set them on the right path.
Have you ever seen a bush tremble in a rain shower? It happens when it's been hot and dry for a while... and then a little rain shower will pass by and as the rain drops fall, the bush will tremble.... not from the weight of the drops of rain.... but from the exhale of oxygen so it can take in the rain drops. Plants enjoy a nice little rain shower. They don't have to "decide" to receive the rain.... they just do it.
Last night I woke in a sweat from a horrible dream. I was dreaming about my son and his five children. I was dreaming about my niece who is pregnant with twin girls. I was dreaming about another niece who is also pregnant with a son. I dreamt of my daughter and her two children who are out there in the world with other kids who are in harms way. I haven't heard from them since schools started back up. I pray for them a lot..... and last night I prayed for them again. I prayed that God would put His Hand over them all and protect them.
So this morning I woke to this story of how a thunderstorm is like a revelation. My dream last night was like the thunder warning me that something was coming. There is sometimes lightning in a storm.... if the storm is wet, the lightning charges everything with energy..... if the storm is dry, the lightning becomes fire. That's what sparks a lot of the fires in California and Arizona.... dry lightning. And then... there is the rain..... weather it comes in sheets or just in showers..... it falls on everything.... satisfying or drowning.
God is sending messages. When there is noise.... we know to duck. When there is bright light.... we know to cover our eyes. When there is rain.... we know to take a drink. It's instinct.
God is sending messages. How often do we hit our knees when everything is coming up roses? How often do we talk to our father when times are excellent? How often do we put bad thoughts out of our minds or bury them deep in our psyche when things are not so good? How often do we swallow bad thoughts rather than dealing with them because we "have it together on our own"? Have we ever said... "I got this... I don't need God's help on this one".
Revelation..... what's going to happen today will be great sprinkled with a little horrid to polish the great and make it shine even better! How I handle today will be judged. I could have cried my eyes out all last night and all this day..... but instead.... I prayed. I talked to my Father about it.
God sends Thunder to get our attention. Heads up.... get out the boat and the fire extinguisher.
