In Thy Name, we live
Episode 17: Al-Haqq (The Truth)
Introduction:
In the name of Allah[1] (SWT)[2], The Most-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful. Today we will talk about the
name of Allah, The Truth, by which the whole universe has been created. Allah
said what can be translated as, “And in no way did We create the heavens and
the earth and whatever is between them except with the Truth… (TMQ 15:85)[3].”
I am asking you today to live by The Truth: to tell the truth, to love the
truth, to die for the truth, and never to conceal it. If you love the truth,
you will love Allah (SWT), because He is The Truth.
The meaning of The Truth:
The word “truth” is the opposite of the word “falsehood”. Therefore, it
had to be one of the most beautiful names of Allah (SWT). You cannot
live without truth because the whole universe lives by the truth.
There is a difference between truth and justice; justice is to give
everyone their rights. Therefore, justice is applying the value of truth in the
universe. The Prophet (SAWS)[4] always asks Allah (SWT) to show him the truth, and help him to
follow it, and to show him falsehood, and help him to avoid it. Man cannot live
by truth easily because Satan will try to prevent him from doing so. This name
is addressed to all people in all fields; teachers, pupils, businessmen, etc.
Everyone should ask himself whether he lives by the truth or not. Allah
(SWT) is The Truth because He never differentiates between people according
to color, nationality, sex, position etc; all creatures are alike and have the
right to live, to eat, to drink and so on. One of the companions asked the
Prophet (SAWS) when the Day of Judgment would be; he advised that they
should expect it when the truth is lost. People deal with truth in different
ways, for example, some people do not know where the truth is, and others know
where it is, and insist on doing the opposite.
Eight things will help you to be true:
The Prophet (SAWS) taught us a supplication of eight truths that
man should believe wholeheartedly. These will guide you to the other truths in
life: Allah is the truth, His words are a truth, His Promise is a truth, the day
we meet Him is a truth, jannah (paradise) is a truth, hellfire is a
truth, the Prophets are a truth and Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) is a truth.
Hence, we should glorify Allah because He is The Truth.
If these truths are deeply rooted within you, you will be able to
differentiate between the truth and falsehood very easily. You will live by the
truth, and never do something wrong. Look around you in the universe; you will
find that everything has been created very justly. For example, the distance
between the sun and the earth is 150 million km2. The earth is
inside the exact safe zone of the sun's heat. If the distance were 149 million
km2 for example, the whole planet would burn, and if the distance
increases one km2, the earth would freeze. Those who do not care for
the truth have to rethink their life after knowing The Truth (SWT). This
example shows you that if life loses the value of truth, the whole universe will
collapse.
The second truth is the Qur'an, which embodies Allah's words. Every
ayah[5], and every Surah
[6], is a truth. The third truth is Allah's promise to the believers to
join paradise, and to the disbelievers to be in hell. Allah (SWT)
promised that we would meet Him on the Day of Judgment, and this is true. This
leads us to the fifth and sixth truths, which are paradise and hell. You should
also believe in all the prophets: Ibrahim (Abraham) (AS)[7],
Isma’il (Ishmael) (AS), Isa (Jesus) (AS), Musa (Moses) (AS),
and the last Prophet, Muhammad (SAWS).
Upon believing in these eight realities and holding fast to them, one
will find himself exploring a new reality relating to his mission, for which he
was created. In other words, we were created to fulfill the mission of
reforming the earth. Allah says what can be translated as, “Did you then
reckon that We created you only for sport and that you would not be returned to
Us? Then Supremely Exalted be Allah, The King, The Truth! There is no god except
He, The Lord of the Honorable Throne.”
(TMQ, 23:115-116).
Therefore, we were not just
created to eat, drink, have fun, get married, have children and nothing else.
On the contrary, we were created and commanded by Allah to reform and construct
this earth. This is the reality for which we came to this world. In this
regard Allah says what can be translated as, “And in no way did We create the
heavens and the earth and whatever is between them except with the Truth…”
(TMQ, 15:85). “O
Dawûd,
surely We have made you a succeeding (Literally: Caliph) (Messenger) in the
earth, so judge among mankind with the truth, and do not ever follow prejudice
that it may make you err from the way of Allah. Surely the ones who err from the
way of Allah will have a strict torment for that they have forgotten the Day of
Reckoning. And in no way have We created the heaven and the earth and whatever
is between them untruthfully. That is the surmise of the ones who have
disbelieved. So woe to the ones who have disbelieved, from the Fire!”
(TMQ,
38:26-27).
In the previous two ayahs,
Allah addresses His Prophet Dawud and commands him to fulfill the message for
which he was sent, namely, to reform the earth and make the truth prevail. Upon
reflecting on the second ayah, we notice that everything in this universe is
created upon truth, and that man should fulfill this truth. Allah commanded you
in his saying that can be translated as, “Surely I am making in the earth a
successor.”
(TMQ, 2:30).
Consequently, all people should hold fast to the truth. In this regard, let me
give you examples of people who lived by the truth. Allah says what can be
translated as, “O you who have believed, be constantly upright for Allah,
witnesses with equity, and let not antagonism of a people provoke you to not do
justice. Do justice; that (Literally: it) is nearer to piety. And be pious to
Allah, surely Allah is Ever-Cognizant of whatever you do.” (TMQ,
5:8).
Once, when the Prophet
(SAWS) was returning from a battle, one of his Companions, Qatada, lost his
armor. He later found out one of the Ansar, namely the native dwellers of
Madinah, had stolen the armor. Upon being revealed as the thief, the man
informed his family that he would stealthily put the armor in one of the Jews'
houses to acquit himself. Thereupon, the Jewish man was accused as being the
thief. However, Allah made the truth prevail. He said what can be translated
as, “Surely, We have sent down to you (i.e. the prophet) the Book with the
Truth that you judge among mankind by whatever Allah has shown you; and do not
be a constant adversary of the treacherous.” (TMQ,
4:105). “ They seek to
conceal themselves from (other) men, (Literally: mankind) and they do not seek
to conceal themselves from Allah, and He is with them as they brood by night a
saying with which He is not satisfied; and Allah has been Supremely Encompassing
of whatever they do.”
(TMQ,
4:108). The
Prophet (SAWS)
announced the innocence of the Jewish man and declared the guilt of the manof
the Ansar. This is to prove that Islam is a religion of justice above
all, with no room for favoritism.
When the Prophet (SAWS)
was asked by his uncle to abandon the message for which he was sent, in return
for wealth and social position, he swore by Allah that if the sun were placed in
his right hand and the moon in his left, in order that he leave this matter, he
would never give it up, until Allah made it to prevail or he died in its
cause.” The Prophet (SAWS) in this situation defended the truth. Thus,
Allah said what can be translated as, “So put your trust in Allah; surely you
are upon the evident Truth.” (TMQ,
27:79).
The Prophet (SAWS)
left Makkah to Madinah, but Allah granted him victory thereafter and he
conquered Makkah. This proves that however long the time of injustice, truth
will always prevail in the end. This is what Allah says and can be translated
as, “No indeed, We
hurl the Truth against the untruth; so (Truth) smashes it; then, only then does
(untruth) expire. And woe to you for whatever you describe!” (TMQ,
21:18).
This is the reality that
you should truly believe in. Allah, The Truth, mentions in the Qur’an a very
significant ayah, which defines the state of Truth and that of untruth. He says
what can be translated as, “He sends down from the heaven water so that valleys flow, each to its
determined (course), so that the flood carries away (on its surface) a swelling
scum. And from that on which they kindle fire (i.e., or) seeking (to make)
ornaments or belongings, out of that there is a scum like it. Thus Allah strikes
the Truth and the untruth. So, as for the scum, then it goes away as jetsam
(i.e., vanishes as useless) and as for whatever profits mankind, then it stays
in the earth. Thus Allah strikes the similitudes.” (TMQ,
13:17).
This
is the state of truth, verses that of falsehood. For this reason, all of us
should live by, and, for the truth.
[1]
The word Allah is the Arabic term for God.
Although the use of the word "Allah" is most often associated with Islam, it is
not used exclusively by Muslims; Arab Christians and Arabic-speaking Jews also
use it to refer to the One God. The Arabic word expresses the unique
characteristics of the One God more precisely than the English term. Whereas the
word "Allah" has no plural form in Arabic, the English form does, and the word
'Allah' in Arabic has no connotation of gender. Allah is the God worshipped by
all Prophets, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.
[2]
SWT =
Subhanahu wa Ta'ala [Glorified and Exalted Be He].
[3] TMQ=Translation
of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so
far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning
of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it
was revealed.
[4] SAWS = Salla Allah alayhe Wa Salam [All Prayers and Blessings of Allah
be upon him]
[5]
A verse in
the Qur'an
[6] A chapter; the Qur’an is comprised of 114 surahs
[7] AS = Alayhi Assalam (peace be upon him)
