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Time and Space / History, present and future
For Allah, the barriers of time and space do not exist. Due to the limitation of our senses and knowledge, we can only perceive a partial truth and
can only measure analytically by singling out some processes from others. We can never have a complete overview coupled with detailed knowledge of all existence. From the Creator’s perspective, the created world exists in a time-space-continuum. For Him the past is as transparent as the present and the future. He knows what we are still to discover.
From a
simplistic mechanical view of the universe, via quantum
physics, science is gradually moving to an understanding
called the “many worlds theory”, which is more akin to the
Islamic concept of the worlds created by the Lord of the
Worlds. There can be only one origin and destination, Allah.
Everything else is in motion, be it the cycle of life or the
planetary orbits, which is expressed through the circular
movement of pilgrims around the Kaabah. Only Allah’s view of
the world is complete, that of any of His creatures is
relative depending on their position. For Allah the creation
of the worlds is accomplished and the destiny of everything
decided. We do, however, perceive ourselves in possession of
free will and are judged in accordance with the decisions we
take. We thereby create our own world and our own destiny
within given parameters. The “many worlds theory” explains
this concept by saying that different worlds exist in
superposition, that is they are possible, but only one of them
will become reality for an observer at any one time.
Allah has
equipped us with potential, but we will not fulfil all of it.
As we discover who we are and what we can do, we also limit
our subsequent options by the decisions we have already taken.
Because our lifespan is finite, we must focus on our aim if we
want to reach it. The only direct link between two points is
straight line. The Qur’an calls the journey of the believer
back to Allah the straight path. If time were infinite, it
would not matter in which direction we set out to reach a
particular destination, we would eventually end up there.
Time, however, is limited, and if we stray too far, we might
not be able to make it back. The model of the straight path
therefore implies that we must make regular small course
corrections as soon as we deviate from it. Islam calls this
concept repentance.
It should
by now be clear that Islam uses a wholesome and synthetic,
rather than an analytical approach. It is a complete
praxis-oriented worldview which provides guidance for the
individual, rules for social interaction, and a satisfactory
answer to the question of the purpose of our existence. To
Allah we belong, and to Him we return. Man only obtains what
He strives for, and his effort will soon be apparent. His
deeds will be judged by their intention. For those who limit
their horizon to the material world surrounding us, life is
not much more than play and time-pass. For those who raise
their sights to the next stage of existence, it becomes a
temporary and intermediary stage and testing ground, whose
importance lies only in the fact that Allah does not waste the
effort of the believers. “Nature” has its rules for the
benefit of our orientation, and similarly there are set rules
and rituals to help us through our daily lives. Our senses
take in information which our mind processes, and in this way
we ensure our bodily survival. The survival of the soul, on
the other hand, depends on the measure of faith our hearts
contain.
Islam
balances the demands of this world and the next, the physical
and the metaphysical. It has its own philosophy, value system,
social order, political economy, and so on, but ultimately it
is a system of guidance tailored specifically for us, the
human race, each and everyone of us, individually and
collectively, time-travellers in our own universe.
The End
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