The Balance

In the first paragraph of Surah Ar-Rahman - let us here contemplate the ayat 1 to 9 only) - ,  we will find amazingly very rich elements of the creation of God for us to think deeply on what we often see carelessly, forgetting its importance and its greatness.

God says: “The Most Gracious; He has taught the Quran; He has created mankind; He has imparted unto him articulate thought and speech. He has made the sun and the moon follow a reckoning; and made the grass and trees prostrate. And He has raise high the heavens and set up (for all things) the Balance; declaring that you should not contravene with regard to the Balance. And you should observe the weights with justice and do not skimp the Balance”

Let us contemplate the 5 elements mentioned in this paragraph:

• The first is the Quran: The Quran is the indispensable guidance for every believer to act in a proper manner and walk on the Right Path. “Truly this Quran guides to that which is straightest and gives tidings to the believers who perform righteous deeds that there is a great reward for them” (17:9).

• The second is the Creation of Mankind: God has created mankind in a special and powerful status among other beings by granting him articulated thought and speech. According to the Quran (see ayat 72 and 73 of Surah 33 Al-Ahzab) God has let mankind to undertake the Trust. This trust is a kind of power of disposition by which he is expected to use as directed, although he has the power to use it otherwise, but in consequence he will get the punishment for not doing as he is expected. As for those who remain firm to their Covenant will receive the aid of God’s Grace and excellent rewards.

• The third is the Sun and the Moon: According to contemporary scholars, the Sun is the star at the Center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields. The distance of the Sun from the Earth is approximately 150,000,000 km though the distance varies as the Earth moves from perihelion in January to aphelion in July. That’s why (in ayat 17 of Surah Ar-Rahman) Allah says about Himself “Lord of the two Easts, and Lord of the two Wests”. The enormous effect of the Sun on the Earth is well known. The Moon is the only natural satellite of the Earth and the largest natural satellite of a planet in the Solar System. It is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun. Its prominence in the sky and its regular cycle of phases has made the Moon an important cultural influence on language, calendars and art. The Moon’s gravitational influence produces the ocean tides and the minute lengthening of the day. And that is why in this paragraph of Surah Ar-Rahman  Allah says: “The Sun and the Moon follow courses (exactly) computed” (35:5).

• The fourth is Grasses and Trees: Grasses are usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include cereals; used for food, pasture for livestock, thatch, paper, fuel, clothing etc. And Trees play a significant role in reducing erosion and moderating the climate. They remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store large quantities of carbon in their tissues. Trees and forests provide a habitat for many species of animals and plants. Tropical rainforests are one of the most biodiverse habitats in the world. Trees provide shade and shelter, timber for construction, fuel for cooking and heating, and fruit for food as well as having many other uses.

• The fifth is The Balance: The Balance mentioned in this paragraph of Surah Ar-Rahman is the capacity provided by God to practice His Guidance in our everyday life in a fair manner. For example: There are many rules and ordinances  (in Islamic Law), which are given by God to be practiced by every Muslim individuals and communities wherever they are. And there are other ordinances, which only the Government Authority in an Islamic State should practice.  Both in the first category and in the second there are priorities to be taken into consideration. We should not consider one, which is at the late level, as a priority. We can achieve this only by knowing properly how to use the Balance. The lack of understanding or the improper use of the Balance will give trouble in society and a very bad reputation for Muslims, especially in non-Muslim societies. So all propagandas against Islam and Muslims in the world today are strengthened by Muslims’ lack of using the Balance.

There is another example: Some years ago, there were caricatures and articles insulting very badly the Great Prophet Muhammad (God’s blessings upon him) that appeared in some newspapers in Europe. Of course Muslims should react in a smart and correct way, but the reactions in many Muslim countries were very emotional ones. Big and crowded demonstrations held, with cries and shouts, even ending up with many casualties, and some churches have been attacked, which is prohibited in Islamic Law. All these silly reactions happened because most Muslims do not use the Balance properly.