The Higher Realms

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Why did God Create the Virus?

April 15, 2020

INTRODUCTION The world is going through a difficult time. We are living through one of the most significant pandemics in recent history. Along with the prevalence of disease and death, there are global impacts on almost all aspects of life. Uncertainty, fear and mental and physical exhaustion have gripped our minds and bodies. In such circumstances it is common for people to question their relationship with the pandemic and an All-Merciful and Omnipotent creator. We come across questions such as, " Why did God create this virus? Why does He not take it away? Why are so many people dying? How can a merciful God allow such pain and misery?" In this article we will attempt to answer such questions. Even though we are touching upon this topic in the backdrop of a significant global crisis, the opinions presented here are valid and relevant under any and all circumstances. The current global situation is only an opportunity for us to ponder deeply over what we cons

Ikseer al 'Arifeen (The Elixir of The Gnostics) - Book Notes

December 22, 2019

INTRODUCTION This short article is based on the English translation of the Arabic book Ikseer Al 'Arifeen (The Elixir of the Gnostics). Ikseer Al 'Arifeen is one of the works of the great Muslim scholar and philosopher, Sadr Al Din Muhammad Shirazi (1572 - 1640), commonly known as Mulla Sadra. The English translation was carried out by William C. Chittick and the book is available as a parallel Arabic-English text. We feel that it is necessary to highlight a few points as an introduction to what follows: This is not a book summary. Rather, it is a selection and presentation of a few of the dozens of points made within the book. In some places we have borrowed the exact text from the book (without quotations). In most locations, we have modified the language or added to the text. Also, in some instances we have made slight modifications to the Arabic translation as it was seen fit. The points discussed below are not necessarily in the order in which they appea

Quranic Gems: Surah Al-Maida

April 04, 2019

When the sources of knowledge converge to universal truth One of the glorious features of the religion of Allah is the verification of realities from multiple sources. By sources we mean the Holy Quran, and the authentic traditions, supplications, and visitations associated with the holy infallibles. We may list these four sources as follows: Quran : Allah communicating with man Hadith : Infallible communicating with man Du'a : Infallible communicating with Allah Ziyarat : Man communicating with infallible The focus of this discussion will be verses 54-55 of Chapter 5 of the Holy Quran, Surah Al-Ma'idah - Primarily, verse 54. يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّـهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّـهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Quranic Gems: Surah Al-Imran - Du'a and Jawab

March 11, 2019

There is something worth pondering over in Chapter Al-Imran, verses 190-194 and verse 195. (Indeed, all the verses of the Holy Quran are worth pondering over.) Verses 190-194 refer to some individuals who are in communication with their Lord. These people call out to Allah five times, by exclaiming Rabbana (Our Lord!). Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those who possess intellect. Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth [and say], ‘ Our Lord , You have not created this in vain! Immaculate are You! Save us from the punishment of the Fire. Our Lord , whoever that You make enter the Fire will surely have been disgraced by You, and the wrongdoers will have no helpers. Our Lord , we have indeed heard a summoner calling to faith, declaring, ‘‘Have faith in your Lord!’’ So we believed. Our Lord , forgive us o

The Holy Quran And The Third Entity

September 25, 2018

Introduction One of the attributes of the Holy Quran is that it is a descriptive book. It contains descriptions of Allah's attributes and of his creations. Some of the descriptions are direct while others are abstract. There are abundant and clear undisputed references to Allah and the holy prophet throughout the holy Quran. On some occasions, there are captivating descriptions of someone / something that don't (necessarily) refer to Allah and his prophet, yet are noteworthy in their own right. Such descriptions are of what we may refer to a "third entity". Depending on the description, the third entity may be the holy Quran, an individual, a group of people, or something entirely different. The purpose of this article is not to provide detailed exegesis of Quranic verse. Rather, we will be listing and where required, briefly commenting on the specific aspects of the descriptions. The Third Entity For the purpose of this article, we will define t