Quran Garden

I am sure you've heard many Muslims say the phrase "Insha Allah." Even non-Muslims use it casually—but do you know its true meaning?  Not just the simple "God willing," but the deeper significance it holds for your life and future.  Let's explore it together.

Session 631

Chapter 4

Verse 47

a continuation

O people of the Book, believe in what We have revealed, which confirms what is already with you before We obliterate faces, turning them inside out, or We curse you as We cursed the Companions of the Sabbath.  God's command is always carried out.  (Chapter 4: Verse 47)

God concludes the verse with, "God's command is always carried out." Say, for example, that I was planning to sell you my car.  I may say: "Meet me at the coffeeshop down the street tomorrow so we can go over the paperwork." You answer with "great, see you then.  I will bring the check to pay for the car." Allah wants to protect both of us from the sin of lying; thus, He advises us to add 'God willing.' Why?  Because in the example above, you and I own absolutely none of the variables in the transaction of buying and selling.  Can you guarantee you will be alive tomorrow?  Neither can I.  Can you guarantee that the coffee shop where we are supposed to meet will be open?  Maybe by tomorrow you'll change your mind and decide not to buy the car.  Maybe I'll get a better offer.  You and I do not have any control over time, place, or even ourselves.  The possibilities for our meeting to fail are endless; thus, it is best to say, "Meet me at the coffee shop down the street tomorrow so we can go over the paperwork.  God willing." In this manner, we have added heavenly insurance to our plans. 

Allah, on the other hand, is the possessor of all power and knowledge.  He has full control over time, place, and creation.  Allah is the ever constant who is not subject to change.  He has the all-encompassing power and perfect attributes; nothing in existence fails to fulfill His command.  Thus, when Allah promises something, it comes to pass.  His command is unlike the commands of human beings, where we sometimes fail, whether we promise something good or issue a threat.  While we are subject to many changes, God's power is inherent.  Thus, when Allah promises you good, rest assured, it will happen exactly as he promised or better.  As for the threat, Allah implement it exactly as promised, or may pardon out of generosity and grace, except for associating partners with Him.

Another point to keep in mind is that time does not confine Allah, for He possesses all time.  You and I may speak of events in their own time.  We use the past tense to refer to history; if the event is occurring now, we use the present tense.  Let's examine the future.  You may say, "You and I are eating lunch now," which is true as it is happening.  But if you say, you and I will have lunch tomorrow.  Do we possess the ability to make it happen?  No.  Thus, our speech about the future could be the truth or a lie.  Allah is timeless.  Listen to the following Aya,

The command of Allah has come, so do not hasten it.  (from 16:1)

At first glance, the verse is grammatically wrong.  "Has come" is in the past tense, implying that the event happened.  "Do not hasten it" indicates a future that has not occurred.  Quran critics jumped on this and said, "The Quran does not make any sense." We answer that it does not make sense when measured against human logic and abilities.  But our Lord is different.  When He says "The command of Allah has come," then its coming is an absolute inevitability.  The future is as certain to God as the present to you and me.  God is not bound by place or time.  When He decrees something, there is no repelling His command.  "The command of God has come" because there is no power in His creation that can prevent it from happening. 

This brings us back to the verse.  God says, "God's command is always carried out" right after issuing the threat, "before We obliterate faces, turning them inside out, or We curse you as We cursed the Companions of the Sabbath," which are future events.  To those who argue that the obliteration or curse did not happen to the People of the Book who rejected Islam, we answer: "God's command is always carried out." So, beware of understanding "We curse you" as a future event and then applying it to our Lord.  You are the one with the future, and it may unfold as you plan it or otherwise.  I will take revenge on so-and-so, but when the time of revenge comes, my heart calms.  I possess nothing of the future.  Thus, my Lord teaches me the etiquette of speech regarding events, places, and actions, and protects me from becoming a liar.  He says to our beloved Muhammad,

Do not say of anything, "I will do that tomorrow," without adding, "God willing," and, whenever you forget, remember your Lord and say, "May my Lord guide me closer to what is right." (18:23-24)

God guides you towards humbleness because when you say, "I will do such and such tomorrow," you assume in yourself the power of existence, the power of health, and the power of will.  None of that is true.  So, out of etiquette, you should add "God willing.  Insha Allah," He is the owner of all.  So if tomorrow does not unfold as you planned, you covered your tracks. 

Now, when you read the Aya, "or We curse you as We cursed the Companions of the Sabbath," you understand it as good for the present and the future because "God's command is always carried out." Likewise, when you read, "high ranks conferred by Him, as well as forgiveness, and mercy: God was most forgiving and merciful." (4:96), you should know that the Lord was, is, and will ever remain forgiving and merciful.  Time does not apply to the Almighty; His attribute of mercy did not come into being after humans sinned.  He was the Most Merciful before any creation existed to seek His Mercy, and will ever be the Most Merciful even after all the creation perishes.  Humans recognize God's mercy when it applies to them.  Allah is the creator of all beings and all the means and causes in the universe.  That is the meaning behind "God's command is always carried out."

Join us next week as we will discuss one of the most hope-inspiring Ayat in the entire Quran.  Insha Allah.