God’s Covenant: How To Deal With It

                        “Is he who knows that what was revealed

                         to you from your Lord is the truth, like him

                         who is blind? Only those who exploit their                        

                         hearts will understand it: those who fulfill

                         God’s Covenant and do not break the Pact”

                                                                        (Qur’an, 13:19-20)

  

In the last Reflection I have concluded that it is essential for human beings to properly exploit the faculties endowed to them by God. Here I will try to reflect on God’s statement that those who can understand the truth of the Qur’an are only the people who exploit their hearts properly. And the consequence: they fulfill God’s Covenant.

Human being has moral and social responsibilities. For this purpose, God ordains every person who believes in Him to be true to his covenants. And there are three kinds of covenants to be fulfilled: covenant between God and man, covenant between man and his own soul and covenant between man and his fellow-men: “O you who have attained to faith, be true to your covenants!” (5:1).

The first Covenant

According to the Qur’an the ability to perceive the existence of the Supreme Power as the Lord (who cherishes and sustains him) is inborn in every individual of Mankind: “And when your Lord took out the offspring from the loins of the Children of Adam and made them bear witness about themselves: Am I not your Lord? And they replied: Yes, indeed, we bear witness. So you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection: we were not aware of this; or: it was our forefathers who, before us, ascribed partners to God, and we are only the descendants who came after them, will You destroy us because of falsehoods they invented?” (7:172-173).

Because of His mercy, God sent His revelations to Mankind through messengers chosen among every nation to remind their people of God’s covenant, and revive the concealed cognition of the lordship of God in their deep insight.

God says in the Qur’an: “This (message) is no less than a reminder to all mankind, to every one of you who wills to take the straight way. But you cannot will it unless God, the Lord of all the worlds, wills” (81:27-29).

The second Covenant

Between man and his own soul. This is very important to be reflected on, because one is often inattentive to what his existence is for. The Qur’an says: “Verily, We have created human being into (a life of) pain, toil, and trial. Does he, then, think that no one has power over him? He boasts: I have spent wealth abundant. Does he, then, think that no one sees him? Have We not given him two eyes, and a tongue, and a pair of lips, and shown him the two highways (of good and evil)? Yet he has not attempted the steep path!” (90:4-11).

The Qur’an reminds us that on the Day of Resurrection each person will be apprised of what he has done and what he left undone, and his body particles shall be eye-witnesses (see: 24:24), even though he may veil himself in excuses (see 75: 14-15).

The third Covenant

Between man and his fellow-men. God has ordained the relationship between husband and wife, which the Qur’an considers as intimate and privy, so that each of them lives in serenity with the other, and considers their bond a solemn pledge (see: 30:29 and 4:21). And God asks every person (man or woman) not to covet that what God has preferred some above others, because God wants to examine all of them by His will (see 4:32). He also ordered every one to do good to one’s parents, next of kin, orphans, the needy, the neighbor from among one’s own people, the neighbor who is a stranger, the friend by one’s side and the wayfarer (see 4:36).

Furthermore: “Behold, God enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards (one’s) fellow-men; and He forbids all that is shameful, and all that is blameworthy, and oppressive. He exhorts you so that you might bear (all this) in mind” (16:90).

To conclude and reflect on what is mentioned above, we can say that God’s Covenant also includes the importance of good relations between people, as it is a part of the great Covenant:

“O mankind, be mindful of your Lord who has created you out of one living entity, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women. And remain mindful of God, in whose Name you demand (your rights) from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily God is ever watchful over you” (4:1). “and fulfill the Covenant; surely the Covenant shall be asked about (on the Day of Resurrection)” (17:34).

Exploiting Faculties Properly

                               “We have indeed destined for hell

                                many of the jinn and mankind

                                who have hearts with which they

                                do not use for comprehension,

                                eyes they do not use for sight,

                                and ears they do not use for

                                hearing. They are like cattle, no,

                                even further astray, these are

                                the ones who are entirely heedless”

                                                                           (Qur’an, 7:179)

I think most people in this world wish to live in a world of peace, health and prosperity. All these wonderful wishes can only be realized through social harmonious cooperation and mutual interactions. For this reason, God the Almighty has endowed mankind with different abilities and motivations, and bestowed upon them principle ordinances as a guidance to enable them to achieve their goal successfully. If any misfortune or corruption occurs, it would be because people fail in cooperation or interact with mischief as they ignore God’s ordinances.

God says in the Qur’an: “Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what people’s hands have perpetrated, so that He (= God) makes them taste some of what they did, in order that they may return (to the right way)” (30:41).

It is clear that Islam, as a Religion urges people to undertake their duties earnestly, and reminds them of their being God’s servants. Each person should try his best to fulfill all obligations correctly and responsibly, without wronging others. For this purpose, God sent his messengers to teach and admonish people, and urge them to do good deeds, and warn them of the dangerous upshot of corruption and treachery in the society. And this not only by preaching, but the Qur’an also puts a great responsibility upon the knowledgeable people to use their aptitude in practicing their talents to build an authoritative structure, which can administrate the whole population of any country.

Pointing to that, God says: “It should grow out of you people who invoke to all that is good and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid to doing of what is wrong: and it is they, who shall be the successful ones” (3:104).

Then how absurd is the idea of those people who think that Religion should not be considered in political affairs, while God’s ordinances encompass all individual and social matters in all domains of life, including politics.

The main source of the Islamic Law is the Qur’an, which shows that God’s ordinances guide individuals on how to prepare themselves to be involved in the society, and guide leaders of the society on how to govern, and to do justice in operating their authoritative functions and positions:

“O you who have attained to faith, be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the truth for the sake of God, even though it be against your own selves or your parents and kinsfolk. Whether the person concerned be rich or poor, God’s claim takes precedence over (the claim of) either of them. Do not, then, follow your own desires lest you swerve from justice: for if you distort (the truth) or refuse to testify, behold, God is indeed aware of all that you do” (4:135).

As articles of law can be used mischievously if one is not sincere, the moral element is absolutely required; God says in the Qur’an: “O you who have attained to faith, be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity, and never let hatred of others lead you away from justice, but adhere to justice, for that is closer to awareness of God. Be mindful of God: God is well aware of all that you do” (5:8).

Those who are unmindful of God, they ignore God’s Law. They are mad of the glitters of the world, they love too much this fleeting life, and they do not think of the life to come: “Behold, they love this fleeting life, and put aside (all thoughts of) a Heavy Day. (Yet) it is We who have created them and We who have strengthened their constitution; and if it will be Our will, We can replace them entirely with others of their kind” (76:27-28).

Those who are unmindful of God, will be interrogated about all their bad actions on the Day of Judgment: “On the Day when their own tongues and hands and feet will bear witness against them concerning what they used to do”

(24:24).

The devoted believers are ordered to accomplish all their actions with precise knowledge, for two important reasons: First because this is the way to get success in this worldly life. Secondly because nobody in the hereafter will escape interrogation, as God already said: “And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge, as indeed the hearing and the sight and the heart – all of them – will be called to account for it (on Judgment Day)” (17:36).

To conclude this reflection, we are certain that it is essential for human beings to exploit the faculties endowed to them by God properly: heart, sight, hearing and all adherent faculties. All of them are made for people so that they may use them properly, and achieve realizing prosperity and justice, and witnessing the truth.

The Influx Of Syrian Refugees To Europe

For centuries Syria comprised various ethnic and religious communities live together peacefully. By 1970 Hafez Al-Asad seized power and started “cleansing” military and civil posts in the country from personalities of other than his own fellow-clan. Here started the discrimination, and since then on everything changed in Syria.  When people suffered, the opposition started asking for reformation, but Hafez Al-Asad preferred to be a dictator.

Before his death, Hafez Al-Asad made arrangements, so that his son, Bashar Al-Asad replaced him in 2000. He promised reformation, but his regime proved the contrary. He became worse than his father.

From January 2011 started the uprising against government corruption and human rights abuses. Instead of repairing his behavior by reformation, Bashar faced pacific protests with cruel police and military actions, which gradually transformed the conflict to an armed rebellion. The Free Syrian Army was created on July 29, 2011, and the struggle took the shape of an armed insurgency, with civil resistance disbanded and opposition members turning to arms.

Since January 2011 until now about 300,000 civilians killed, tens of thousand tortured in prisons, twelve millions of the population fled from their homes (about 3 millions in neighboring countries: Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, and 2 millions scattered in the world), most of them because their houses were bombed and devastated by Bashar’s left soldiers, backed by Iran and getting arms from Russia. And in fact, the destruction of Syria is caused by the tyranny of the Asad clan and partly by international conflict, because about one year after starting the revolution, many armed groups involved in the war backed by foreign countries.

In one year after the revolution it was clear that Asad cannot stay more in power, but the great effort of Iran and Russia to defend his position made him struggling until my writing this article, and in the opposite side (USA and Europe) in spite of their formal announcement of helping the opposition, but it is very clear that they prefer Asad’s regime than any party may replace it. We can understand why the “West” apparently pro reformation, as they are propagating democracy and condemning dictatorship, but practically Asad’s regime is preferred because of its soft policy towards “Israel”, beside its propaganda against that Western puppet. And Iran is aiming that Syria stays under its influence, and Russia is happy to sell a lot of arm, to kill more Muslims and gain a lot of money. So Syrian people are the victims of the big foreign conflict.

What is behind the influx of Syrian refugees to Europe recently? There are reports that the Syrian Regime facilitates people even from Damascus who intend to flee.

In the same time discussions between “Western Power” and “Russian-Iran” side shows possible political compromise to end the insane war, and talking about general election, considering that those who flee all or mostly are the Sunnis. Then they are probably thinking of changing demography to prepare breaking Syria into two or more states.   

Lately Europe became the favorite goal for the Syrian refugees. Hundreds of thousand undertook risks, went there through Turkey, Greece, Serbia and Hungary to go to Austria, Germany, Scandinavia, etc.

Here we see the confusion in Europe. Hungary opposes, Austria, Germany and France after some hesitation agreed to receive the Syrian refugees. Some regions in France refuse accepting Muslims, they will accept only the Christians. The Hungarian Prime Minister and some civil organizations in some European countries plainly refused the idea of receiving Muslim refugees, they welcome only the Christians among them, but most Europeans accept all refugees without considering their religious conviction.

The Hungarian N1TV aired on Tuesday, September 8, 2015, showing a Hungarian journalist, Petra Lazlo tripping Syrian refugees. She is a member of the anti-immigration group Jobbik in Hungary.

Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow wrote in “Frontpage Mag” (September4, 2015) that what is happening in Syria is an Islamic war fought to determine which branch of Islam will be supreme. “It is not a war that started last week or last year, but 1400 years ago” he said. And of course this is absolutely a false accusation, as history proved that for more than one thousand years the “Middle East” (including Syria) is the land of various religious and ethnic communities, and they used to live together peacefully.

The best way to answer Daniel Greenfield is, what has been written by Robert Fisk in “The Independent” (also on September 4, 2015): “Europe and the West – what was once called Christendom – are supposed to be the bad guys in the Middle East. It is we who bomb, corrupt and invade the Muslims of the Middle East. It is we who support the vicious dictators of the Middle East (unless they are disobedient to our wishes). It is we who suck out the fossil treasures of the Middle East, its oil and its natural gas. We are, are we not, the infidels? And true Syria’s refugees, in their millions, have settled into the squalor of camps on the edges of Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. But the hundreds of thousands of poor and huddled masses who wish to flee further from their tormentors are not sailing in leaking boats to where you might expect them, to go – to the “ummah”, to Islam’s beating heart, to the land where the Prophet lived, and where he received the word of God. No, the destitute of the Middle East are not heading for Saudi Arabia, the wealthy kingdoms of the Gulf, to pray for help from the builders of great mosques and the Keepers of Holy Places. It’s not because they think we’re a soft touch. It’s not because they want to scrounge on our generosity. I suspect it’s because they know enough about Europe and our history and about us – not our tin-pot politicians – to know that we are good people, that we are kind people. I think they know that, deep beneath our carapace of cynicism and materialism and our lack of religious faith, the idea of humanism is alive in Europe and that we can be decent, good, thoughtful, honest people”.

I quoted Robert Fisk’s writing above, as he is among the most knowledgeable European journalists on Middle East affairs. And he is a correspondent of “The Independent” since more than twenty years.

I suppose also that some European countries, like Germany, have a foresight that by accepting those refugees, most of them are women and children, and many good workers, by time will assimilate with local population and will cover the diminution of procreation there.

To conclude, I would say that the influx of Syrian refugees that started about three years ago and still goes on now, is not some voluntary and joyful event, on the contrary, people are fleeing from explosive barrels being launched by Al-Asad regime destroying houses with their inhabitants almost in every town and village. And there is no doubt that international great powers are co-criminals against the Syrian people, because they created many obstacles for the Syrian revolution and allowed Asad’s tyranny to continue for the purpose of guarding and protecting “Israel”.

Another reason for Europe’s actions is also a probability that Russia will defend Asad’s regime by bringing its arm forces to get an army base in Syria, because Russia needs to have a position on the Mediterranean.