Quran Garden

Today, we uncover the depth of spiritual vision and how faith can transform you from doubt into a clear vision of the unseen!  You will also learn about the story of Omar and the strange traveler.  Let's begin.

Session 17, Chapter 1, Verse 5

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.  (Chapter 1: Verse 5)

We begin today's Tafseer by clarifying the concept of "vision." There are two types: physical vision (through the eyes) and spiritual vision (through the heart).  Let's examine them one by one. 

Your vision - in essence, your eyesight - is something tangible you experience firsthand through your senses, and as a result, it is irrelevant to belief.  For example, you cannot say, "I believe you exist" if I am standing in front of you.  As long as you can see me, then this accounts for certainty, not belief.

On the other hand, spiritual vision is when you believe in the unseen as though you can see it.  This is crucial because, once achieved through faith and insight, spiritual vision can offer a certainty that surpasses what you see with your eyes.  Omar ibn Al-Khattab, one of the Prophet's closest Companions, said:

"While we were one day sitting with the Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, a man with very dark hair, dressed in the whitest of clothes, came to us.  None of us knew him, yet he had no trace of travel or hardship.  He sat down close to the Prophet, placed his palms on his thighs, and rested his knees against the Prophet's knees.  Then he said, 'O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.' The Messenger of God replied, 'Islam is to testify that there is no deity but God and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform daily prayers, pay the alms, fast during the month of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the Ka'bah in Mecca if you have the means to do so.' The man replied, 'You have spoken truly.'

We were amazed by this man questioning the Prophet and then telling him that he was right.  He went on to say, 'Inform me about faith.' The Prophet answered, 'It is that you believe in God, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Day of Judgment, and fate - both in its good and evil aspects.' The man replied, 'You have spoken the truth.' Then he said, 'Inform me about righteousness.' The Prophet answered, 'Righteousness is that you should serve God as if you could see Him, for, if you cannot see Him, rest assured that He sees you.' The man asked, 'Inform me about the Day of Resurrection.' The Messenger of God answered, 'I know no more about the Hour of Judgment than you do.'

The man then asked, 'Well, inform me about the signs of the coming of the Day of Judgment.' The Prophet answered, 'It is near when you see children treat their mother as a servant, and when you see the barefooted, naked, and destitute herdsmen competing with each other in raising lofty buildings.' After that, the man got up and left.  The Prophet turned to me and asked, 'Omar, do you know who the questioner was?' I replied, 'God and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'That was the angel Gabriel.  He came to teach you your religion.'"

When our beloved Muhammad said regarding righteousness, "It is that you should serve God as if you could see Him, for, if you cannot see Him, rest assured that He sees you," he was referring to the manifestation of the spiritual vision within the believer.  When a person believes, they start to see all matters through the prism of spiritual enlightenment.  For instance, as they recite a verse about Paradise, they imagine the people of Paradise in immense pleasure.  And, as they recite a verse regarding the people of Hellfire, the body trembles as though they see the torment.

One day the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw one of his Companions, named Harith bin Malik, and asked him, "Harith, how are you?" Harith replied, "I woke up with my heart filled with true faith." He, peace be upon him, said, "Harith!  Reflect on what you say.  What is the true essence of your faith?"  Harith replied, "I have detached myself from the love of this world; I spend my nights up in worship and my days in fasting.  It is as if I can look up and see God's Divine Throne, and as if I can see the inhabitants of Paradise visit one another and the inhabitants of Hellfire shout at one another." The Prophet said, "Harith, you have been enlightened with true knowledge.  Now, hold on to it firmly."

 In another example, God addresses the Prophet in the following verse:

Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the people of the elephants?  (105:1)

Some critics cite this verse to challenge the authenticity of the Quran.  Prophet Muhammad was born in the year of the Battle of the Elephant.  God addressed him by using the phrase "Have you not seen?" although the Prophet, an infant at the time, could not have seen the incident.  Had Allah used the phrase "Didn't you know?" or "Haven't you heard?" it would have made sense, as the Prophet could have overheard the story.  But the Lord used the phrase "Have you not seen?" instead.  Why?  We reply that, to the believer, what God says is as true as one's own eyesight, and this is from amongst the elements of the Islamic creed.  The Quran is God's word, and the verse "Have you not seen?" implies that this vision is true and real for every believer who recites the verse.  With spiritual vision, man sees through his faith what his eyes fail to see.

Let's now apply this concept, Al-Fatiha, "The Opening," Chapter.  There are three personal pronouns in grammar: the first person, the second person, and the third person pronouns.  The first person (typically "I" or "we") is the narrator of the story.  The second person ("you," whether singular or plural) is present at the time of the narration, while the third person (typically "he," "she," "it" or "they") is not present.  For example, when I say, "This is your pen," it means you are standing right in front of me.  But when I say, "This is her pen," it implies that the pen's owner is not present at the time. 

Matters of faith are not based on what you observe; instead, they are based on belief in the unseen.  In the first four verses of Al-Fatiha, "God" is unseen, "the Lord of the worlds" is unseen, "the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious" is unseen, and "the Owner of the Day of Recompense" is also unseen.  Therefore, the grammar of the next Aya requires the use of the third-person pronoun and should logically say, "He alone we worship, and from Him alone we seek help." However, God changed the context and used the second-person pronoun.  We recite, "You alone we worship, and from You alone we seek help." Why?  Because through the spiritual vision of the believer, you feel in the presence of the Lord, and you are as certain in Him and the Day of Resurrection as you are in your eyesight.

On the Day of Resurrection, when God Almighty reveals Himself with all His attributes of perfection, you will be transformed from the state of spiritual vision to the state of eyewitness vision.

The phrase "You alone we worship" indicates exclusiveness.  If I say, "I will meet you for lunch," it may mean that I will meet with you alone or with a group of people.  But when I say, "You alone I will meet," it means that the meeting is personal and exclusive.  Similarly, had the verse read, "We worship You," it would have suggested that we worship God alone for now, but later on, we may worship so and so.  Thus, we recite "You alone we worship," acknowledging that God alone is worthy of worship, and no one can be coupled with Him.  He says,

If there had been any gods besides Allah in heaven or earth, they would both be ruined.  Glory be to Allah, Lord of the Throne, beyond what they describe!  (21:22)

The word "worship" means submission to God in all His commandments.  Thus, He made prayer the basis of worship, as the act of prostration during prayer reflects ultimate humility before Allah.  During prostration, you place your face -the most beloved and noble part of your being- on the ground.  You and I, the rich and the poor, the young and the old, are all equal in servitude, to the extent that each expels pride and arrogance from their heart before all to see.

As you recite "The Opening" and say, "All praise is due to God," you recall all God's favors that obligate praise.  Then, when you say "the Lord of the worlds," you remember the blessings of lordship bestowed upon all His creations, putting the universe at the service of humans.  After that, you recite "The Most Merciful, the Most Benevolent," and remember God's compassion and mercy that meets your sins with forgiveness when you repent.  Then, as you read, "The Owner of the Day of Recompense," you recall the Day you will stand before the Lord so He may reward you for your deeds.  At that moment, having recalled all that obligates worship upon you, you recite, "You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help."

Amazing progress!  You've journeyed past the halfway mark of Al-Fatiha's tafsir.  Keep the momentum strong.  You are on the cusp of incredible spiritual breakthroughs.  Let's continue this enlightening path together!