Quran Garden

Session 537

Chapter 4

Verse 1

People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you from a single soul, and from it created its mate, and from the pair of them spread numerous men and women far and wide; be mindful of God, in whose name you make requests of one another.  Beware of severing the ties of kinship: God is watchful over you.  (Chapter 4: Verse 1)

Many verses in the Quran begin with the phrase, "O you who believe," followed by a command from God.  When you hear this phrase, you should appreciate that Allah does not want to impose His will on you or intrude on your choices.  "O you who believe" serves as a gentle reminder that you chose to believe in God and entrusted Him with guiding your life.  Faith wasn't forced upon you; you embraced it willingly.  So, if you consider yourself a person of integrity, if you are a man or woman of your word, you should listen to the one you claim to believe in.  As long as you freely profess that God is your wise and powerful Lord, it's only natural to obey and follow His commands.

If, God forbid, you're dealing with a severe illness like cancer, you would do extensive research to find the most knowledgeable and experienced doctor to treat your condition.  Once you find such a doctor, you follow their recommendations, keep all your appointments, and take the prescribed medications.  If the necessary medicine isn't available locally, you might even consider traveling abroad to get it.  Why?  Because you believe that the recommendations of the doctor you entrusted with your life are crucial for your well-being.

Here, we have an ayah that starts with, "O people," but it's not followed by a command for a religious duty.  Why?  Because the term 'people' includes both believers and disbelievers; it encompasses Adam and all his descendants.  God does not issue a command here; instead, He invites everyone to be mindful of Him, come to His side, consider what He offers, and then choose whether to believe or not. 

When issuing a command to the believers, Allah uses their faith as justification and says, "O you who believe." But how about when Allah addresses humanity as a whole?  What justification does He use?  He says, "People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you."  God presents you with a rational case and supporting evidence.  The Almighty starts with, "People, be mindful of your Lord," and the choice of words is critical.  He did not say "be mindful of God" because the word 'God' is understood as the deity that is obeyed and worshiped with commands and prohibitions.  God knows that many people have not yet reached that conclusion or level of understanding.  Most are still at the level of Lordship.  The Lord, translated from the Arabic رب (Rub), is the Creator, Caretaker, Provider, and Protector. 

Would God use the justification "created you" unless it was evident?  Of course not.  It is a universally known fact.  Every human instinctively knows that he or she has a creator, and this knowledge has been proven across cultures, continents, and millennia.  So when God says, "People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you," it is as if creating humans is not a matter of dispute or doubt for anyone. 

Allah draws you closer to Him through a fundamental belief we all share: He created you.  At one point in life, I am sure someone said to you, "Be good and listen to so-and-so because they helped you out last year." If you acknowledge that this person did you a big favor—maybe they got you out of a tough spot or lent you some money—then naturally, you'd show them gratitude, kindness, and respect.

To draw you even closer to Him, the Almighty chose the word "your Lord," not 'your God' because the concept of "Lord" is that of the One who creates from nothing and provides from nothing, the One who nourishes and elevates humans closer to the level of perfection they all seek.  God, after all, is the One who created the entire universe with perfection.  He says,

And if you ask them who created the heavens and earth and who harnessed the sun and moon, they are sure to say, 'God.' Then why do they turn away from Him?  (29:61)

So, the issue of creation is a settled matter.  Such creation requires unimaginable power and wisdom.  Thus, we recognize the Lord as the All-Capable and All-Powerful Wise Creator.

Here we ask, doesn't the one who creates have the right to set the laws of operation and maintenance for his creation?  Every valuable item you buy comes with the manufacturer's operation and maintenance manual.  Why?  Because the manufacturer would like to ensure the product's proper function, protection, and longevity.  In fact, it is the responsibility of the creator to set such rules to protect the creation.  If you buy an advanced piece of technology and receive no instructions, you would call the company to complain. 

Would the Almighty create this marvelous, complex human out of nothing and leave them to do as they please without instruction?  Or would He say to them: it is best practice if you do this and don't do that so you can fulfill your purpose in life?  Thus, Allah calls all people to faith and says: "People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you."  Our first requirement is to be aware and mindful of our Creator so we can receive and follow His commands and recommendations. 

Would the Almighty create a remarkable and complex human out of nothing and then leave them without guidance?  Or wouldn't He provide instructions, saying, 'It's best to do this and avoid that so you can fulfill your purpose in life?' That's why Allah calls everyone to faith, saying, "People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you." Our first responsibility is to be aware and mindful of our Creator so we can receive and follow His commands and guidance.  

Every human should be aware of his or her Creator and appreciate His awesome power and wisdom.   Either we fear the Lord's power and obey His commands out of awe.  Or we acknowledge His wisdom and obey His commands out of respect.