Today is the monthly community market in my little town. Every month, we buy a bag of Granny Smith apples from the nice apple lady.

Usually, my wife takes care of it, pulling a heavy bag of apples home in a two-wheeled trolley. Only, she injured herself a few weeks ago, and I’ve been playing mother. Thanks to some combination of acupuncture and the passage of time, she is getting better, but not yet up to a three-kilometer walk and hasn’t driven the car yet. So, it was my job this morning.

The weather forecast promised thirty-five degrees. (That’s the sensible Celsius scale. It’s ninety-five on that F thing.) First hot day of summer. When I set off at about eight in the morning, it was pleasantly warm. Towing the two-wheeled trolley, I decided to combine a little exercise with walking meditation, and soon found myself in the Nowscape. I stole the concept from Jon Kabat-Zinn, but he doesn’t mind. How does it work?

Whatever my attention focuses on is full, two-hundred percent vivid. That attention is allowed and even encouraged to wander, but always with complete focus. So…

The smooth rhythm of the muscles in my leg, identifying each stretch and pull by name.

The light breeze moving the fresh green leaves on that tree.

The scent of lavender from a garden I am passing.

Birdsong.

A fly buzzing around my nose.

The thought that, sadly, there is only one fly annoying me. A few decades ago, there were thousands of insects for each one alive today.

The blue sky, gently moving little clouds.

Walking. Left foot forward, meets the ground, rolls from heel to toe, glutes tighten, center of gravity advances, right foot forward… on and on.

Across the road, a father watchfully follows his little girl leading a brown dog. The girl is running, the dog strolls along with her. They pass a low timber fence, and a boy about her age runs out and joins her.

From within my heart, I wish them all a good life.

Then the thought; I should write all this down.

A big white dog is taking a middle-aged woman for a walk. We smile at each other (yes, all three of us), and two of us say “Good morning.”

This is repeated from time to time with other dogs and their followers, each time with full focus from me, and my unvoiced sending of lovingkindness to both the human and the canine person.

A young woman is straddling a bike, one foot on the ground, a cute little miniperson in a carrier seat behind her. Poking out of the gateway on my right is the front wheel of another bike. A dad is putting a helmet on a little boy. Smiles, greetings, sending lovingkindness as I walk by. They ride past me a short while later, the boy with a look that reminds me of a hero going off to face the dragon.

More walking meditation, in rhythm with an internal song. That is allowed: merely another target coming and leaving the focus of the Nowscape.

Here is the market. Regular arrays of marquees and open stalls, most selling junk I have no interest in, but I bless them and wish them a successful day anyway.

A fellow wants to sell t-shirts with inscriptions I wouldn’t wear if you paid me.

Enough socks for an army of millipedes, but I’d bought socks from her last month. She is worth a smile, a greeting and a secret blessing.

Home-grown honey. That would be fine, but we have some in the cupboard already.

Tools that would have grabbed my attention twenty years ago, but now I have more tools than I need, for activities I no longer do. May he sell them all today.

My friend, Judy, is in her stall, selling hand-crafted things too hot for the coming summer, but she does it more for fun than a livelihood nowadays. We have a good chat. She is the focus of the Nowscape, then I move on.

People milling about, people in their stalls (no, no, not like horses but in their little mobile shops), each worth a smile and a secret blessing.

Here is the apple lady, her truck in the usual spot. She is doing good business, and I join the little crowd.

At home, my wife and I had counted out twelve dollars in coins—useful for her as change, but just extra weight for us. Now, I hand them over. She accepts them without counting, and I tuck a bag of crisp green apples into my trolley. I move on, looking for leek seedlings. The two garden guys have every kind of plant but leeks, so I leave for home.

As I pass the apple lady, she grabs me, well, not physically but with a wave. She insists that I’d given her too much, and hands back about three dollars in loose change. We have a nice chat. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone had our view of money?

On the walking meditation home, I detour to go past the place of the little old Croatian lady who grows vegetables the way her ancestors did in the Old Country. She has them under the shade in her driveway, with an honesty box for your payments.

We don’t really need anything she’s selling, but I notice bunches of lovely flowers, marked down from $8 to $6, then to $1.99. I decide to invest two dollars of the apple lady’s honesty—both to reward the veggie lady’s trust and to bring a little joy to my wife. An hour of my life, spent in heaven.

In the movies when somebody dies, assuming that they are a good person, they go to heaven, which is portrayed as somewhere beyond the clouds. Other movies show heaven as beautiful meadows with gorgeous flowers, trees, animals, and lakes. Depending on religious sources and a movie director’s imagination, we see glamorous, luminescent white scenes in heaven. Apart from what a perfect place it is, we have no idea where it might be. Even though we are told about the glamours of Heaven, neither Islamic nor Christian sources tell us much about the location of God’s magnificent creation.

Acknowledging in the first chapter of his The Letters volume that “Only God knows the unseen” (an-Naml 27:65) and “Knowledge is only with God” (al-Mulk 67:26), Said Nursi talks about two Hells, the smaller one and the bigger one. He suggests, some Prophetic traditions (Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa 1:281; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak 4:568) report the smaller Hell to be underground, underneath the earth’s crust at the center of the globe, known as the “core.” We know from geological findings that as we head toward the center of the Earth, the temperature increases immensely. It is known that the temperature near the Earth’s center is around 6000 degrees Celsius. Scientists believe that the core of the earth is as hot as the sun. Nursi argues that the Greater Hell to be underneath the Earth’s annual orbit around the Sun, a circle area around the sun, a place for the Great Gathering and Judgment Day. He thinks that when Doomsday comes, like a tiny seed turning into a huge tree, the smaller Hell will be transformed into the bigger one. That is, on Judgment Day, the Earth will cast all its inhabitants into its orbit around the Sun for resurrection. After the Judgment, those who will take their books in their right hands will go to Heaven somewhere above the Earth’s orbit and those who will take their books in their left hands will go to Hell somewhere under the orbit. While offering these ideas, Nursi properly reminds us that the other world is behind a veil of the unseen and it is impossible to see them with the eyes we have in this world.

Although Nursi mentions the place for Hell, he does not refer to a certain place for Heaven. He describes Hell and Heaven as two fruits on the tree of creation, which stretches into infinity. That is to say, they are the two results of the chain of the universe: “They are two pools receiving the flow of two streams, one carrying the wicked and foul while the other carries the good and pure. Paradise is the place where Divine Favor and Mercy manifest themselves, whereas Hell is the place where Divine Wrath and Awe are exhibited.” Both of them serve as an impetus to do good and refrain from bad. The following few verses from the Qur’an paint us a beautiful image of Heaven.

And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit there from, they will say, “This is what we were provided with before.” And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. (al-Baqarah 2:25)

[Other] faces, that Day, will show pleasure. With their effort [they are] satisfied. In an elevated garden, wherein they will hear no unsuitable speech. Within it is a flowing spring. Within it are couches raised high and cups put in place and cushions lined up and carpets spread around. (al-Ghasiyah 88:8-16)

We can also mention a few hadiths telling us about the characteristics of Heaven.

“Abu Huraira reported The Messenger of God (may peace be upon him) as saying that: God the Exalted and Glorious, said: I have prepared for My pious servants which no eye has ever seen, and no ear has ever heard, and no human heart has ever perceived but it is testified by the Book of God. He then recited: ‘No soul knows what comfort has been concealed from them, as a reward for what they did’” (Muslim, Book 40, Number 6780).

“Abu Bakr b. Abdullah b. Qais reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of God (may peace be upon him) said that in Paradise there would be for a believer a tent of a single hollowed pearl the breadth of which would be sixty miles. It would be meant for a believer and the believers would go around it and none would be able to see the others” (Muslim, Book 40, Number 6804).

“Abu Huraira reported the Messenger of God (may peace be upon him) as saying: Saihan (Oxus), Jaihan (Jaxartes), Euphrates and Nile are all among the rivers of Paradise” (Muslim, Book 40, Number 6807).

We know that God created everything with a purpose including all the stars we see in the sky when the night falls. They say we can see approximately 3,000 stars with the naked eye on a clear night. If we have access to a small telescope, the number of observable stars may increase to 100,000. Moreover, it is estimated there are about 100 billion stars (some estimates say even up to four times more than that) just in our galaxy, the Milky Way. Considering that there are an estimated 100 to 200 billion galaxies visible to us through telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope and keeping in mind the vast number of stars in our own galaxy, the observable universe could contain over a billion trillion stars. Livio suggests that galaxies might exist in other unobservable and unknown universes, meaning the number of galaxies could be even greater.

We know from the Holy books that God created this world and all that is in it to show His own glory, power, and excellence. But what about the billions of stars in countless galaxies? Apart from their existence, we know nothing about them. We need eyes as big as the Sun to see what they are like. According to Said Nursi, countless stars we are unaware of host angels, jinn, and other spiritual beings invisible to the human eye. Just as fish of various colors and sizes swim in the oceans, vast constellations of stars journey through the universe. Surely, their purpose is to display His unique artistry and to inspire His creation to exalt and glorify Him, Al-Khaliq, the Creator. This is not so astounding when we consider that, according to Prophetic tradition, each raindrop descends from the sky with an angel.

Similar to Islam, Christian sources mention many properties of Heaven such that all things are new, there are no tears or pain, there is perfect peace, there are splendid buildings and vineyards, and fruitful gardens; unfortunately, they do not talk about its location. For example:

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.” (Isaiah 65:21)

“The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.” (Isaiah 35:1)

The Bible says, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained” (Psalm 8:3). This verse may imply that Heaven might consist of the stars and galaxies. Another verse says that the future existence of mankind after resurrection will take place on the present Earth, which will be recreated and renewed to its ideal form(see Revelation 21:1-4; Isaiah 65:17-25; John 14:2, 3).

All this considered, I believe the vast collections of planets and stars in the universe may have another profound purpose—one not explicitly found in either Islamic or Christian teachings. Who knows? Perhaps God intends to turn these heavenly bodies into realms of Heaven for His obedient people and other spiritual beings. It is possible that, based on qualities like loyalty, obedience, righteousness, and goodness, individuals might be granted a heavenly domain proportionate in beauty and size. In other words, prophets and messengers may dwell in grander, more magnificent stars than those reserved for a typical believer, whose prayers and deeds were fewer. To illustrate, Islam’s prophet could be given UY Scuti—the largest known star, with a radius around 1,700 times greater than the sun—as his heavenly abode.

Everything is possible for God, “The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be’, and it is” (al-Baqarah 2:117). He can easily transform stars into realms of Heaven for His faithful and righteous followers. Finally, the true location of Heaven is beyond our comprehension. While only God knows the true purpose behind the creation of stars, we, as people of faith, can strive to earn the greatest heavenly reward by engaging in prayer, charity, and good deeds. Surely, the existence of all these celestial bodies reflects His power, wisdom, and grace. Ultimately, Heaven may be anywhere, as the Almighty creates His places of manifestation wherever He wills.

References

• https://www.physicsoftheuniverse.com/how-many-stars-are-there.html#:~:text=Therefore%2C%20using%20a%20very%20rough,anywhere%20up%20to%201024.
• https://www.space.com/25303-how-many-galaxies-are-in-the-universe.html
• https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/where-is-heaven
• https://www.space.com/41290-biggest-star.html

Every blessing of God is an opportunity given to human beings that calls for a corresponding responsibility.

Health is a blessing that should be used to fast, to pray, and to strive on God’s path so that one can express gratitude for this blessing. If a person gives this gratitude, God will return that body in the next world for eternity and without flaw, and with all its potential revealed.

Intelligence is one of God’s favors. If the horizon of one’s mind has been enlightened by the lights of revelation, and he is therefore distanced from inappropriate things and makes decisions according to the true path, intelligence is a source of inspiration. If he uses the blessing of his mind appropriately and introduces Truth to those who have strayed, he is giving the mind its due. On the contrary, if he only uses intelligence for worldly or evil tasks, he is being ungrateful for that blessing.

Power of expression is one of the greatest blessings that God has given humanity—so much so, that the name of the Qur’anic chapter where this is explained is called Rahman (Mercy). Al-Rahman is one of the Exalted Names of God. Some of the manifestations of God’s Mercy are giving means of subsistence in a broad circle to everyone even if they are not believers, and nourishing creation with various blessings, including human’s power of expression. This ability makes them eligible to be an addressee to God. They may understand God’s words and at the same time express their thoughts to Him. God says, “Come, pray to Me and bow in My presence.” Then they can say, “praise be to God” and with faithful and obedient devotion they can stand in God’s presence. In one sense, this is understanding God and speaking with Him. One of the Successors (the generation after the Companions of the Prophet) said, “If a person who reads the Qur’an says that he spoke with God, it would not be a lie.” Therefore one who says, “praise be to God” can be considered to have spoken with God.

The prayers that believers recite every day actually reflect a conversation with God:

You are the Most Beneficent and the Most Compassionate: You first gave me consciousness and then the ability to express this consciousness. This is a manifestation of Your Mercy.

You are the Master of the Day of Judgment: I am preparing for that day within the framework of Your commands.

I serve only You and I seek help only from You: I do so in order not to be smashed under the weight of servanthood.

Most people probably never really ponder the prayers in this way, but if they were to reflect, the prayers allow them to rise to a very honorable station.

If a person went and spoke with a head of state, he would talk about it everywhere; he would find an opportunity in every environment to mention that conversation. Therefore, if a person views talking with a head of state as this important and mentions it everywhere, then he should think deeply about what it means to have the privilege of addressing God.

A sacred saying from the Prophet (hadith qudsi) is stated as follows:

“I share the recitation with my servant in prayer; half belongs to Me and half to him and what My servant wants will be given to him. When the servant says, ‘Praise be to God, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds,’ Exalted and Glorious God says, ‘My servant praised Me!’ When he says, ‘Most Glorious, Most Merciful,’ God says, ‘My servant glorified Me.’

“When he says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgment,’ God says, ‘My servant exalted Me.’ When he says, ‘You do we worship and Your aid we seek,’ God commends him: ‘This is a pledge between Me and My servant. I gave him what he wanted.’

When the servant says, ‘Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your grace, Those whose portion is not wrath, and who go not astray,’ God says, ‘This belongs to My servant and he has been given what he wants.’”

In recitation, the chapter al-Fatiha is divided between the servant and God—some is spoken by the servant, and some is answered by God. In a sense, this is nothing other than a conversation with God. Consequently, the power of expression is a great blessing from God, and its greatest right is to praise God, who honored human beings with the power of expression.

Like a town crier, we must speak of our Lord, who gave us the capability of expression, everywhere we go. If you give a crier a little money, he will promote his wares from morning till evening in the marketplace. Salesmen do the same thing; they go to houses, fawn on people and try to sell their goods. In the end, what they will sell is one or two pots and pans. In the same way, Heaven will be given to us for doing very easy tasks. We are in a position to be made worthy of seeing God’s Beauty by using, in the best way, the power of expression bestowed upon us by God. Even if no one remained on earth to hear us, then we have the responsibility to climb the mountains to the skies and live for the excitement of talking of God to the jinn and demons. As a friend of truth said, even if one is imprisoned and there is no one around, then he should try and teach the demons about God to fulfill his responsibility.

The subject is the importance of a person returning a favor given by God by making the best use of the ability bestowed. Only by means of this kind of reciprocation can gratitude for that blessing be fully shown. God will continue bestowing that blessing here and in the next world. If a person only gives the right of property, but does not give the right of his mind, health, or power of expression, then he still will have been ungrateful. If a person cannot speak, he has a pen. If he does not give the due of the pen, then he will have shown ingratitude before God. If one who has strong mental abilities does not use them for God, then he will have been unjust. Whatever God has given a person should be used on the path of God to teach others about Him.

If a person does not give gratitude for his other blessings, but only gives financial aid when his financial situation is favorable, then at least he has performed a large part of his responsibility. If he gives help beyond the alms tax, financial aid is a serious sacrifice, and voluntary acts and altruism within this framework is great, because it is the virtue of giving for God’s sake. In fact, our Prophet said, “Generosity is like a tree. Its roots are in Heaven and its branches have hung down to this world. Whoever lives under that tree and behaves generously, sooner or later he will hold on to one of the branches and rise to Heaven where the tree’s roots are.” It can be understood from this that a generous person, even if he is a sinner—God willing—will eventually enter Heaven. If a sinner does not deny God, and he is generous, it is said that he will enter Heaven. Saying, “A stingy person is closer to Hell,” our Master used an expression of warning for miserliness. We can infer that since generosity is one of God’s attributes, He will not put a person with that attribute into Hell.

Attributes are very important; people must give what is due to the attributes God blessed them with. In this way, one’s work should be arranged according to God’s blessings. Worldly tasks should not be forgotten and neglected. Regardless of where he is, a believer should always be at the forefront of those living in his own time. Doing this, he will always be avant-garde—but while doing this, he should put his life in order and never neglect God’s rights. In short, a believer should use all the abilities God has bestowed upon him, and use them in such a way that he has given those blessings their due.

The dark breathing its last, lights panting for air.

Fog and smoke dissipate in my vision

There! New spring with its emerald hair.

Like a conquering army, a generation marches forward

The walls of the fortress bent down in awe

Earth and heaven smile at my bliss

To the arch of victory, the paths lead

When all these dreams come true, one by one

Invigorated is the friend’s heart while petrified is the foe’s.

. . . emotions base, desire consuming

The meaning that flows over from the gaze is full of contempt for the subject of God.

Akif

Very few are exempt from such a turbulent point of view; no difference remains between what is collective and what is not, between capitalism, communism and liberalism. The distance in nature-between those who attach their lives to the considerations of eating and drinking, resting, and earning money, having a good time in general, and other beings who are bound to spend their lives in a similar way due to the unchanging character of their nature-becomes smaller day by day. The basic differences between the two sides vanish into thin air one by one, and humanity seeks new directions, despite its own nature.

Religion, piety, morality, free thought, our own perceptions of art are rarely given consideration; power has become so ulcerated as to be unrecognizable, fantasy has taken on the image of lofty ideals and these disagreeable ideas are being forced upon others. Indeed, I have to say that I have a hard time understanding the inner drama of such a terrible fanaticism. Nowadays, when enlightenment has become widespread, when intellectualism is at its apex, the fact that science and ignorance seems to meet at the same spot, contrary to the distance that one would expect to exist between them, suggests a dark complicity and makes the existence of a serious problem obvious. Such a contradiction gives us the impression that the emotional will of some people is miles ahead of their intellectual and logical will.

I believe that in such a dark period, when opposites have become intertwined, when in different sections of society chaos is heaped upon chaos, when shadowy acts of different origins have darkened the face of the Earth, when what is underground reigns over what is above, when polemics and dialectics have become so popular with so many, when hearsay, especially through the use of media, is welcomed as acceptable merchandise, when we have begun to feed upon the lives of others, when the soul of unity has been shaken and different groups are scattered everywhere, when hopes are shattered and wills are paralyzed, when souls give up the fight against desire, there is a burning need to turn toward our own spiritual sphere and listen to our own inner world, to tear ourselves from the dark atmosphere of the bodily realm and sail into the magical atmosphere of a hearty and spiritual life. Those who do not fall into lethargy and return to their usual state as soon as possible will feel the magic and charm of their own inner world; the unfortunate who fail to return and remain in between, or who remain on the other side, continue to resent, hate, slander, lie, and feel contempt, they continue in the dissolution and obstinate disagreement which they have practiced until this day, and even in climates where the sun continues to shine they will dream of dark things, they will mutter dark thoughts, always seeking dark places in which to hide and dark corners in which to live.

One hopes that they would be able to feel the joy of the blessed days and nights that we experience, when showers of light reach everywhere. One hopes they too would abandon the heresy, unbelief, dissension, and sedition in their hearts and that they would be able to respect the chosen understanding and stance of every single soul! Maybe one day these wishes will be fulfilled, but the self-proclaimed enemies of God, the prophets, religion, and piety-once having breathed nothing but materialism, having gone into a frenzy denying divinity, and having plunged into the quicksand of anarchy and nihilism-will never be able to breathe this reviving air. Oh dear Lord, had you only made yourself known to them and released the chains from their hearts!

In every community and society there are people who are inclined to abandon their faith and there have been many times when such people have spun out of control; other communities and societies do not have such powerful places to seek refuge when faced by these abysses and weaknesses as we have. Indeed, they have thoughts which soothe, beliefs which reconcile, days and nights which tremble with joy, festivals and carnivals; but, these days, these nights, these festivals, these carnivals are devoid of any holiness. They are like fireworks, shining for a moment and then are gone, giving only instantaneous pleasure; they are ephemeral and physical, not promising anything in the way of spiritual joy. Indeed, in their worlds you cannot feel the greatness of faith to God, nor can you feel that souls are free from the boundaries of time and space; everything starts with a false and transitory happiness, and takes place in a delirium of flesh. All is then transformed into painful memories, regrettable dreams, and disappointed hopes, and finally everything simply disappears.

In this spiritual atmosphere where we are closely bound to God, every sound, every word, every action is felt like a nursery rhyme and listened to like a melody. These shower down upon us like the rain; we soak up the bounties of these showers. The moon changes its form every night, as if signaling particular times and happy hours, the sun moves to a new spot on the horizon at every dawn, awakening our feelings and thoughts in a new period of time, causing our dreams to follow it, presenting memories to us that resemble the river Kawthar, promised to us in Heaven. The past becomes like a veil of many colors draped before our eyes, the happy future is the apex of our dreams, waiting for us with open arms and we, who have been freed from the narrow confines of time, live the multiplicity of yesterday-today-tomorrow simultaneously and, like the angels, feel all the joys of surpassing time. It is impossible for those who are not fed from the same source, those who do not share the same feelings and thoughts, to feel and understand the holy depths or the happiness and joy like the rivers of Paradise to the same extent.

Our faith, our horizons of thought, and our manner-characteristics of the fortunate, but at the same time belonging to a little-wronged nation of the world-have become, through being formed and re-formed in the mold of the collective personality, greatly refined and adorned with universal values. The truth is that in these characteristics the holy sadness of our hearts and the enthusiasm of our souls, like water running between the rocks, are felt and heard. Indeed, those who listen to what we have to say always hear the melodies of the pain of separation voiced along with hope; they hear the notes of reunion, of the sweet and eternal search for home in our intonation and manner. Indeed, while on the one hand we murmur “Oh, cup bearer, I have burnt in the flames of love, give me a cup of water,” on the other we say “I have dipped my finger in and tasted the honey of love, give me a cup of water,” and thus we are able to turn our grief into smiles. Our tongues speak sometimes of love and sometimes of weariness; though love and weariness cause pain to others, in them we always hear, like Rumi, the poem of longing for the realm that we have left to come here. Love and weariness to us are like a plea from the tongue of the soul, stemming from a sorrowful desire for eternity. Since our beliefs and feelings take us to the magical worlds of beyond, we almost always feel sadness and joy intertwined; we hear the sounds of crying and laughing as different notes of the same melody. We respond to the troubled heaving of our breasts with smiles on our faces, as our eyes overflow with tears, our conscience takes upon a red hue with the roses of the Iram gardens.

Even though it may not be easy for every individual, our connection to God is the most natural attitude that we can adopt; our relation with Him is like a spell that transforms all the moments of our life into enthusiasm and joy. Our hearts that beat with feelings toward Him fill and re-fill with the dream of this gaze; we are able to live through the bitterest autumns in our hearts because we have the joy of spring. Our souls adopt the most enviable attitudes with instincts of particular feelings and joy that are the result of our connection with the All-Glorious One; thus transformed, they make us feel a refreshed enthusiasm, a new opening and revelation, even at moments when we are filled with sadness and grief. Pleasure or sadness, revelation or sorrow, all these emotions undergo metamorphoses in our hearts, as they beat with faith and speak to us of the most natural pleasures and the most realistic expectations. It is a fact that we, too, experience interconnected moments of ease and hardship, sweet weeks and bitter days, light and darkness which come and pass, like day and night. However, we sip the unsurpassable benevolence and joys from the hands of all these tribulations, because we have our beliefs, our connection to the Just One and our hopes! Those who do not recognize the trials and pleasures to be the product of the same will writhe in never-ending agony, while in our own atmosphere we see clearly that everything will be transformed into deep compassion. We taste a whole life, with its bitter and sweet facets like Kawthar, the blessed water of Paradise, in everything that we eat and drink, at every place that we inhabit, with all the beautifully divine discoveries of our own inner world. With all of their different wavelengths, we feel our sorrows shrink in the face of happiness, feel our pain melt away in pleasure and feel how our lives flow into glazed cisterns in a spectrum of colors. Our mortality is transformed into eternity; we exude smiles even when we cry.

In our world, the beliefs and the expectations that emerge from the heart of those beliefs are so intertwined with our lives that each chapter of our lives lends us the wings of the station of prayer and takes us to the gate of the Hereafter. It takes us there and lets our hearts drink of the beauties of heaven. In this way, we feel as if we are inhaling the scents of heaven. Even if we should let ourselves be swept along by our daily lives, the calls for prayer, songs that exalt God, the various sounds of prayer, the recitation of the names of God, those who give Him thanks, calling out His Uniqueness, letting this spill from the windows of the mosques, all draw us to their climate; they paint our souls with their hues, they give a tambour-like voice to our hearts, they make them sigh like a flute and excite them with the happiness of music. These sounds excite our souls and we are charmed by the mysteries pertaining to God, the charm of these mysteries which comes galloping from the depths of our inner world and which spreads to all our senses, this charm which tints the gardens of heaven in our thoughts and which flows past our lips like cascades of inspiration. Thus charmed, we stand awe-struck.

This charm, this recognition of the mysteries pertaining to God, reaches a higher level on the blessed days and nights when limitless abundance and bounty are showered upon us. This is true to such an extent that everything around us ascends in a state of joy, every corner takes on a spiritual hue and the excitement of our souls, aiming at metaphysical destinations, reaches its apex, or in Sufi terms, our souls reach the highest heaven of maturity. To the degree that we can hear and listen to what is all around us, we too rejoice like children who feel as if they are in the fair grounds of joy; thus we experience the happiness and joy of a feast day.

In such a world, the dawn flows into our houses from the doors and windows like an awaited guest; the evening comes into our private chambers like a lover; the night clings to us with its associations of reunion with the Confidant; and in every valley hands are raised up toward Him in prayer, ready to receive the gifts that will come from Him, assuming a state of metaphysical tension with the power of the soul, sighing, saying “Hold my hand dear Confidant, hold it, for I cannot do without You.”

In such a world, prayers roar like the booming voices of Gulbang hymns and echo like the voice and breath of the divine depths; the warm solitude of the night envelopes our souls like silk; our pulses beat with the excitement of one who has received good tidings. Perhaps some of us keep singing His praises, come rain or shine, like the nightingale that breaks its heart in an effort to express the ideal rhythm for its emotions with the most touching of sounds. In a word, everyone is humming a melody with never-ending agony and joy, never-fading love and excitement, listening to the shivering of their souls and letting others hear it, too. Everyone sighs with the fever of love and makes other people feel it. Yes, as they reflect on the excitement in their souls and the inspiration of their hearts, expressing themselves one last time, they become the mouthpiece for the feelings shared by all and they are able to speak of the hidden meanings that they want to speak of but fail to verbalize.

The horizon of living yesterday-today-tomorrow at the same time with such a degree of faith and hope, of love and recognition of the mysteries that pertain to God, gives such a depth to life that each heart in the orbit of the hereafter finds itself wrapped up in the melodious harmony of emotions and ideas and is freed from the limiting, stifling effects of matter. I believe that the strongest basis of all human relations, the purest source of all pleasures, and the fountain of all love, longing, attraction, and gravity is this faith and hope. Every disciple of the heart who attains this faith and hope can experience and feel the state of being outside of time, with the ability to sense all of its depths.

Indeed, to the extent that one can attain this view, one can feel existence in a different manner, evaluate things in a different way and melt in on oneself with the color, taste, aroma and accent of manifestations from the Eternal; these attributes pervade everything, and people can reach a second existence with a new “birth after death.” During such joyful hours, when the internal gaze is focused on that which is behind the visual scene of existence, one feels all the joys of being. One feels as if one has taken a shower in wisdom, as if one is freed from the weight of all things that are alien to one. The distant heavens shower blessings down upon these hearts, hearts thirsty for love and galloping with longing and affection; all hearts that live in fear of drying up are quenched. Celestial flowers flourish in these showers adorned with dreams!

Some of us may not be able to comprehend this state-a state which becomes a succession of struggle (to overcome the darkness with its all connotation) and dawn-of these people of faith and horizon; but all these are phenomena of the heart, soul and emotions. Living through the countless revelations of life, no one but the active heroes of the dawn and of the great strife can understand this love, enthusiasm, poetry, and music poured into our souls by the Eternal One. Those who do not understand this will not be able to understand these heroes, either. Those who remain distant to this fine and delicate life live in the darkness, while the comprehension of those who have found a position from where they can view the truth in such a way that it appears as obvious as it really is always feel this gift in all its wavelengths, sip it like the rivers of Paradise and live their earthly lives as if in Heaven.

Who knows how many more times we will speak of this never-ending pleasure and joy, in the delight of a festival, of a feast day! How ever many more times we may speak of it-the faults of the speaker’s mode of expression aside-we will still listen with pleasure and try to share it with others.

Notes

1. A place mentioned in the Qur’an (al Fajr 89:7-8), “. . . the city of ýram, with lofty pillars; the like of which were not produced in all the land.”
2. Hymns sung in the mosque in unison by the congregation .
3. The change communicated along these lines is not to be related to reincarnational notions.

Churning in time, “the process of becoming”

Every particle must sacrifice the ego to mill

Listening to the call, enabling Divine Will

Death in “itself” is the desire to “live”

Eternity is in giving away to rebuild

The mountains squash at the will of self

The meek perceive a mound a hill

Wandering hither and thither the lowly stars

Are but lost in the vastness of heaven,

To realize oneself, one has to part

It is the destiny, for existence, for non-being.

The moon is pale; loosing glamour at the last stretch

All secrets told, is stripped off into void

Soon the demons of dark will engulf the bright.

Why looking for a phantom light…?

Thy lamp is thy heart, O’ forlorn

Leave the sojourn, thee, thyself is the guide.

Thou art real, the only truth in heaven,

On the earth; the whole universe’s might.

Resting in a world of fabricated illusion,

Deserts are but for an infinite exploration

Thorns bear witness to a searching soul

How limited is the effort to grow one Rose

Yet, ye complain scarcity of the resource.

Mercy O benevolent, the most compassionate Lord.

Upon the ignorant, the sinful, and the tyrant

I urge to see an oasis, not an iced spring at a stronghold.

Muhammad Iqbal

Ode No XXX1 from Bang-i-D’rra of Muhammad Iqbal. Translated from Urdu by Seema Arif.

Seema Arif is an assistant professor of Business Administration, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.

The month of Ramadan is an opportunity to put free will to a test for Muslims across the world. By fasting from dawn to sunset, Muslims do not only stay away from food, they are also expected to attain the most virtuous conduct by being generous in the heart as well as in charity, by shutting off their mind sand tongues to evil thoughts and words, and by appreciating every bit of food and water, the value of which we normally ignore. The Questions and Answers section in this issue focuses on this blessed month with a special emphasis on habitualizing the discipline we become accustomed to during Ramadan.

Ramadan is also a time for realizing the differences among multicultural societies. Many Muslims invite their non-Muslim neighbors to share fast-breaking dinners with them. Trish Madigan, a Dominican sister from Australia, illustrates how much she has learned from Islam in her article on such occasions, and she stresses that there are many issues that both Muslims and Christians can “resonate with” if they step forward to explore each other’s faiths.

Another example of sharing comes from Abdullah Aymaz. In his article, Aymaz recounts an interesting story of Ottoman donations to the Irish people who were desperately suffering due to the Great Hunger in the 1840s. The Ottoman sultan, not daunted by political or logistical obstacles, or the long distance,sent five ships full of food to Ireland. This act of charity is still being commemorated in gratitude by the Irish. This article narrates a great example of a humanitarian service in which no discrimination sullied the feeling of sharing.

This month’s issue also contains remarkable topics from biology, astronomy, and physics. In “Hearing for Deaf Ears” we will learn how the ear functions

and discover a new technology for those who cannot hear: Cochlear Implant (CI) systems. In “What Makes Planets Revolve Around the Sun” we will be presented with interesting data about solar activity, and in “Thoughts on Matter and Anti-Matter” we will be taken on a thought-provoking journey in atom.

We wish you a blissful Ramadan.

Prophetic Attributes

We will examine Daniel in terms of possessing the required attributes for a messenger. We can understand the process of choosing someone to be a messenger for humanity if we compare it to how we choose someone to do an important job; this person must possess certain qualities. Our requirements become much more stringent in accordance with the importance of the duty. After the candidate has been found we support this person.

…to God belongs the highest comparison. (Qur’an 16:60)

There are some requirements for representing God and guiding people. These are called the attributes of messengers.

The first characteristic of a messenger is truthfulness; this is the pivot of Prophethood. It could not be otherwise, for if a prophet were to lie, everything connected with the divine religion would be upset. The truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is paramount. He was completely truthful toward all of God’s creatures. The second attribute of Prophethood is trustworthiness. Being a believer implies being trustworthy. All prophets were the best of believers and therefore were perfect exemplars of trustworthiness. They were loyal and never cheated anyone. The third attribute of Prophethood is the communication of truths, otherwise known as “enjoining good and forbidding evil.” Prophets came with the same divine religion based on submission to God, and all had as their sole mission the communication of this Message. Intellect is another important attribute of Prophethood. In this context, intellect has a specific meaning: a composite of reasoning power, sagacity, intelligence, sound judgment, and wisdom that far surpasses the ability of ordinary people through a sublime power of understanding. It encompasses and coordinates all human abilities, whether of the heart and soul or of the mind. The infallibility of prophets is an established fact based on reason. This quality is required for several reasons. First, the prophets came to convey the Message of God. This is their function as guides and good examples to be followed. If we liken this Message to pure water or light, then any impurities would have polluted the Message. Every stumble is an impurity, a dark spot in the heart and causes doubts in the minds of listeners. The last attribute is that the messages of the prophets were concerned about unseen worlds and that they made prophecies. These were among the miracles of the prophets.

Before we start to analyze BD we need to stress some important points. First of all, except for the final attribute, all these attributes should be the target for all humans who want to achieve decency, if not excellence. Secondly, even if a person does not possess these qualities, God can still use this person. Thirdly, we have to honor people who possess these qualities as they are people who possess prophetic morals.

Daniel of the Book

BD starts with a scene where a king is choosing people from different nations as servants for his kingdom. Obviously, due to his intelligence, trustworthiness, physical perfection and many other qualities, Daniel was one of the four chosen from among the Jews. When the king appointed them daily provision, Daniel requested that he should not be given food that is forbidden by God. However, at the same time he stated and proved that lawful food is healthier.

The king had a dream that troubled his spirit. However, he forgot what he had seen in that dream. He called the astrologers, magicians, and soothsayers and asked for an interpretation of his dream. Nobody could satisfy him, which made the King furious. He finally understood the deception of the so-called wise men and he ordered them all to be killed. Apparently God had prepared this scene for the Daniel’s grand entrance. After hearing the order, Daniel prayed to God and God revealed to him the vision and its meaning:

“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise [men], the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king. But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.”

Daniel’s job was not to interpret the dream, but rather to tell people about God. Thus, he used this dream as an opportunity. The dream was a statue-like image, which symbolizes the kingdom where each part of the body corresponds to the present and future kings. Later on we witness the faith of Daniel’s friends and how they stood up for their beliefs. Chapter Four starts with the statements of a transformed king who respects and probably believes in Daniel’s God. However, after certain events followed, events that happened in exactly the way Daniel had predicted, the king praised, extolled and honored the King of Heaven and became a believer. In Chapter Five, Daniel showed his truthfulness to the King. Chapter Six shows that people trusted Daniel (6.3) and that his enemies could find nothing to accuse him of at all (6.4;6-5). They therefore tricked the king into signing a law that prohibited Daniel from worshipping God. However, man-made laws could not come between him and God, so he kept praying and making supplications. The king ordered Daniel to be executed, however God saved him. When he returned to the king, just as before, he used this as an opportunity to communicate with the people and he gave full credit to God.

“My God hath sent me his angels.”(6.22)

The following chapters (7-10) are important in terms of Daniel’s visions and his messages from the unseen world, although his dreams and their interpretations will be explained in the next section. The following table shows the important verses where the attributes can be clearly seen.

Truthfulness 4-19; 5-28; 5-17; 5-28

Trustworthiness 2-18; 5-28; 6-3

Communication 2-18; 2-28; 3(indirect);

5-18; 6-10; 6-22

Intelligence 1-4; 1-17; 4-19/24

Infallibility 1-4; 1-8; 6-4; 6-24

Conclusion

In Daniel we see a great example to follow. This is a man of conviction, devotion, truth, trust, wisdom and respect for the Most High. He walks to his death, talks to kings, solves problems and uses every opportunity to talk about God. With such devotion he finds God always near him offering protection and blessings. May God’s blessings be upon his messengers, their companions and their faithful followers.

It would be appropriate to finish this article with some of the names of God that are mentioned in BD. Some things are so good, that one can never read them too many times.

… the God of heaven. (2-19)

He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. (2-21)

He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what [is] in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him. (2-22)

God in heaven that revealeth secrets. (2-28)

God [is] a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets. (2-47)

… the most high God. (3-26)

There is no other God that can deliver after this sort. (3-29)

How great [are] His signs! and how mighty [are] His wonders! His kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion [is] from generation to generation. (4-3)

… He that liveth for ever. (4-34)

… the King of heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and His ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase. (4-37)

… the God in whose hand thy breath [is], and whose [are] all thy ways. (5-23)

He [is] the living God, and steadfast for ever, and His kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion [shall be even] unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth. (6-26/27)

References

• Wilson, Robert Dick, Studies in the Book Of Daniel.

• Baldwin, Joyce, Tyndale Old Testament Commentary

• Thomas, John, An Exposition of Daniel.

• Sir Isaac Newton’s Observations on Daniel.

Heaven is often pictured as perfection, a place where everything is fresh, clean, pure, and beautiful. As the Bible describes it: He (God) will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever (Revelations 21:4). Many societies and religions have tried to recreate the “feeling” of a heavenly place on Earth in the form of spiritual places in churches, synagogues, mosques, cemeteries, and chapels.

The shared Jewish, Christian, and Muslim belief in only One God has resulted in similar traditions. For example, idolatry and “false gods” are forbidden. In Christianity, statues help believers to focus on God; however, it could become a controversial point where statues or crucifixes are not supposed to be taken as God. In contrast to the idea of using a physical object to help invoke spiritual feelings, Islamic law forbids the use of statues of any sort. (2) As a result of this prohibition, Muslims used nature, in the form of gardens and designs, to invoke spiritual feelings. Mosques with unique architectural designs often have elaborately decorated interiors, and the gardens are filled with symbolism and beauty.

Islamic gardens are a prime example of the concept of heaven, Earth, and the garden blending to produce spiritual symbolic sanctuaries. “Every garden created in the Islamic world tends to be seen as a metaphor for Paradise.”(3) The English word paradise comes from the Persian word Pairida za: pairi (around) and daeza (wall). (4) Thus, pairida za referred to something with a wall around it and eventually came to mean a walled garden. This word became paradeisoi in Greek and paradises in Latin. The concept of Paradise as a garden is exemplified in many Biblical and Qur’anic passages.

The Islamic view of heaven, Hell, and earth

Islam views Paradise as the opposite of Hell and always contrasts heaven with Earth. (5) In this way, “Paradise and Hell pertain to the Return to God” and so “cannot be experienced in their fullness until after the Last Day.” (6) Heaven and Earth refer to the “situation of the cosmos” from the beginning of time until the end. (7) Therefore, on the Last Day or the Day of Judgment, “heaven and earth, they will have vanished since their inhabitants will have been moved to the Garden and the Fire.” (8)

Although this view is very similar to other religious views, some of its intricate and deeply religious implications make the concept unique. In contrast to Islam, Christianity teaches that a person dies and after purgatory either goes to heaven or to Hell (Luke 16: 22-23). Judaism, Christianity and Islam are all thought to have “ideas of heaven that are historically and theologically connected to one another,” (9) which makes the specific differences and distinctions harder to conceptualize. In the following Qur’anic verse, the promise of a peaceful afterlife with God is placed in the context of a garden: God has promised the men and women who believe in Him gardens watered by running streams, in which they shall abide for ever, goodly mansions in the gardens of Eden. And, what is more, they shall have grace in God’s sight. That is the supreme triumph (Qur’an 9:72).

Within this verse, three important aspects are visible. First, Islam promises believers an afterlife with God; second, the Paradise of afterlife has the form of a garden; and third, the Garden of Eden, also mentioned in the Bible’s Old Testament, is part of Muslim belief.

In a religious sense, the Garden of Eden is seen as and believed to be the garden from which all life came. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have different interpretations of what Adam and Eve’s actions have meant for the human race, as well as where the Garden of Eden is located. (10) However, these three religions agree that the Garden of Eden is an example of heaven. According to Murata, God “created Adam for the earth, not for the Garden,” and so the Islamic view of Adam’s (and Eve’s) “fall” from the Garden is not as negative as it is in Christianity. Rather, it is thought of more as a “slip caused by Satan.” (11)

The Islamic view of nature

Since gardens are made up of nature, it is interesting to see how an Islamic view of nature relates to the Islamic idea of Paradise. Since nature itself is seen as spiritual in its own right, its connection as a material used to make a symbolic Paradise on Earth is very intriguing. Islamic garden construction involves using a spiritual component to build a spiritual or religiously significant product. Therefore, an Islamic garden is a reflection of God’s Beauty, (12) for what better way to reflect His Beauty than by using what He has provided?

Looking at the Qur’an’s description of Paradise, it is important to note the repetitive use of the phrase jannat tajri min tahtiha al-anhar (gardens underneath which rivers flow).” A common Qur’anic example of this is: For those who are God-conscious, with their Lord are gardens through which rivers flow (Qur’an 3:15). Fascinatingly, the Qur’an is not the only religious book that mentions water flowing; the Bible also mentions it: A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches (Genesis 2:10). The ideas of gardens, water, heaven, and Paradise, which recur throughout the Qur’an and Bible, have very specific implications as to how Islamic gardens were formed.

Islamic gardens and Islamic cosmology

Islamic gardens are connected to the spiritual side of Islamic cosmology. What makes these earthly gardens even more interesting is that they do far more than just reflect the concept of the garden in Paradise; rather, they are constructed in such a way that they echo God’s words as revealed in the Qur’an.

One of the most visible and striking aspects is the wall surrounding the garden’s exterior. This practice differs markedly from what we see in the West, where a garden is open to public viewing. External aesthetics are very important in the West, and one way to illustrate them is to design their gardens accordingly. In the Islamic world, however, gardens were walled off because the garden’s interior was far more important than its external aesthetic appeal. One reason for the wall was to enclose tranquility, which was an intricate part of an Islamic garden, and thereby separate the sacred from the outside world. These gardens were meant for private, inner contemplation and to be a retreat from the busy, hectic outside world.

A second feature is each garden’s specific layout. The idea of a four-fold separation, which is central to Islamic gardens, can be seen in both the Qur’an and the Bible. In the Bible, four rivers flow from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:10). The Qur’anic description of the four rivers is more detailed and very thought-provoking: (Here is) a Parable of the Garden that the righteous are promised. In it are rivers of water incorruptible, rivers of milk of which the taste never changes, rivers of wine that are a joy to those who drink, and rivers of honey pure and clear. In it there are for them [the believers] all kinds of fruits and Grace from their Lord. (Can those in such Bliss) be compared to such as shall dwell for ever in the Fire, and be given to drink boiling water, so that it cuts up their bowels (to pieces)?” (Qur’an 47:15).

A third feature is the essential presence of water. Water, a life-giving substance, is needed to irrigate plants and trees. In the more ancient gardens, prior to efficient plumbing, gardens were irrigated through systems that brought water down from snow-capped mountains. The water was distributed efficiently in a hierarchical fashion: first for drinking, then for bathing, and then for the land. (13)

Since one function of an Islamic garden was to serve as a retreat from a long day of work or the world’s troubles, water helped to relax the people and cut down outside noise. There was usually a fountain or two that supplied flowing water, which added to the serenity.

Another important aspect was the garden pavilion, which typically had a “rectangular platform with open porches, probably columned, added to each of its shorter sides.” (14) The pavilion was meant to provide a shaded vantage point in which everyone could sit and view the magnificent garden and contemplate inner thoughts.

Since idolatry and statues are forbidden, Islamic gardens were decorated in other ways, usually with geometric shapes. Muslims saw geometric patterns in everything, including the petals of a flower or the thorn of a rose. “The squares, circles, and octagons we see in the gardens could be there for good theological reasons: the square represents the earthly order of things, the circle indicates God’s celestial perfection of eternity, and the octagon the circle squared signifies our earthly struggle to achieve everlasting unity with God’s higher plans.” (15)

Another decorative style of Islamic art and architecture is the arabesque, which “includes ornamentation in stylized plant forms and strictly geometrical interlacing work.” (16) Many times these designs dealt with the “cosmic rhythms with alternate and complementary phases of evolution and involution, expansion and contraction.” (17) Arabesque design included the idealized styling of plants and vines to create patterns. This art form, just like the gardens themselves, has a geometrical element. For example, many of the patterns were based on circles divided by six, eight, or five.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Islamic gardens intrinsically contain two aspects: architectural and cosmological. Architecturally, they resound with religious symbolism in both their design and form. It is important to remember that “the perfection and ‘economy’ of the cosmos, however, is not to be judged by human standards at all.” (18) Although Islamic gardens are mirrored after Qur’anic verses and ideals, the gardens are by no means meant to be the archetypical Paradise.

Richard Ettinghausen, realizing that there has to be a reason why the Islamic garden “was such a ubiquitous art form in the Muslim world,” posits three reasons for this “propensity.” First is the “idea of Paradise as a reward for the Muslim faithful,” which is well-documented in the Qur’an. Second, many gardens and designs pre-dated Islamic times, and, he continues, “in Islam there exists both a sacred, visionary, and a secular, hedonistic tradition, each centered around a special garden of the highest beauty.” Third, the “influence of horticulture” or, in other words, the need for the environment and geography, was an important consideration. (19)

Islamic gardens, although a very important way for Muslims to be in touch with Paradise, are “only a sensual symbol of God’s everlasting beauty.” (20) The following Qur’anic verse shows that no matter what their location, each person should be able to see God’s wonderful creations: We shall show them Our portents on the horizons and within themselves until it will be clear to them that it is the Truth. Does your Lord not suffice, since He is Witness over all things? (Qur’an 41:53).

Finally, gardens add to a person’s life by providing stress purification as well as spiritual purification. In a way, they enable people to escape their life and move to a better place: Paradise. Through garden architecture, people have attempted to reflect a cosmic order and thereby enhance and transcend daily life. For Muslims, whatever is seen on Earth comes from God’s own greatness, and therefore: “For all believers, there is an understanding that there would be no gardens, no rivers and no fruit in this world if it were not for their archetypes in Paradise.” (21) Thus Islamic gardens are not just for the growth of God’s plants, but also for the growth of the Islamic cosmological ideal.

Footnotes

1 Miller, Lisa. “Why We Need Heaven,” Newsweek, 12 August 2002, 44-49.

2 Lehrman, Lewis, Becoming a Successful Artist, (North Light Books, 1996)

3 Brend, Barbara, Islamic Art (Harvard University Pr., 1992).

4 Moynihan, Elizabeth B., Paradise as a Garden: In Persia and Mughal India (New York: George Braziller, Inc., 1979), 1.

5Sachiko Murata and William C. Chittick, The Vision of Islam (New York: Paragon House, 1994), 80.

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid.

8 Seale, Allan, New Life for Old Gardens: Designs for Reviving Your Garden (Sterling Publications, 2002).

9 Jeffrey Russell, A History of Heaven: The Singing Silence (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997), xiii.

10 John Prest, The Garden of Eden: The Botanic Garden and the Re-Creation of Paradise (London: Yale University Press, 1981), 15.

11 Murata and Chittick, The Vision of Islam, 142-43.

12 John Brookes, Gardens of Paradise: The History and Design of the Great Islamic Gardens (New Amsterdam: The Meredith Press, 1987), 19.

13 Ibid., 193.

14 Elisabeth B. Macdougall and Richard Ettinghausen, eds. “The Islamic Garden,” Dumbarton Oaks Colloquium on the History of Landscape Architecture IV (Washington, DC, Trustees for Harvard University, 1976), 72.

15 William Howard Adams, Nature Perfected: Gardens through History (New York: Abbeville Press, 1991), 62.

16 Titus Burckhardt, Art of Islam: Language and Meaning (World of Islam Festival Trust 1976), 56.

17 Ibid., 57.

18 Seyyed Hossein Nasr, An Introduction to Islamic Cosmological Doctrines (Boulder: Shambhala Publications Inc., 1978), 124.

19 Macdougall and Ettinghausen, eds., “The Islamic Garden,” 6-7.

20 Ibid., 39.

21 Emma Clark, Underneath Which Rivers Flow: The Symbolism of the Islamic Garden (London: The Prince of Wale’s Institute of Architecture, 1996), 16. 

From these words it should not be understood that we never can or will understand the value of this world. What I want to emphasise is that our collective customs and habits overwhelm our individual consciousness, knowledge and conscience. There are some people in this world who see our values through the prism of their refined consciousness and knowledge and feel in the vastness of their spirit pure emotions undimmed by customs and habits. They experience their own lives as passing through corridors of heaven and live like those in paradise.

Whether they be newcomers who travel on the horizon of new awareness and pleasure or old-timers in these affairs who have gained the secret of staying young and take advantage of all its benefits, they feel intoxication each day with the beauty of our world just like the exhilaration of the rising sun on a brand new day. They think about and breathe the constant faithfulness of this world and the things in it and the skies and whatever lies beyond. They stretch out their arms with love under the light waves of faith and the eternity promised by faith, and they tremble with reverence and dignity.

Almost always this realm, where the earth and skies open to one another and are at peace with each other, penetrates our spirits like the inclination of God Whom we love with all His creatures. It becomes enshrouded in such beauty that we believe these divine manifestations, which pass the limits of the physical world and can’t be contained in it, to be dreams. We tremble with concern that well awaken from this sweet dream and everything will disappear.

In fact, sometimes at moments and hours that are wrapped with a special aura that we don’t fully understand. day or night things suddenly become different. The general atmosphere becomes so enchanting that it seems to compete with the heavens. In this atmosphere of light, spirits that reach to heights beyond the physical plane and feelings that go beyond all space extend their minds beyond the boundaries that separate us from the spiritual world. They live in the shadow of the Prophet Muhammad’s miraculous ascent to heaven. This sea of dreams sometimes, in the form of a whisper of pleasure and delight, encompasses those hearts that are open to the beyond. The breasts of those who reach this vastness expand enough to hold the whole universe including the moon, the sun and the stars. They pass beyond all limits and become a shining mirror to the throne of mercy. The appreciative angels run to watch those who have become like stars scattered upon the earth. Those special ones on earth in the language of animated silence watch this delightful scene and, as if listening to the most divine poetry. go back and forth between this spectacle and pleasure. thus weaving the eternal lacework of life.

Wherever you are in this fantastic calm, the beyond and creatures of the beyond are always with you: wherever you go you gather pearls from the beyond and you always feel like they’re being showered on your head.

Yes, at home, at work, in seclusion or in the company of others you’ll see that the coloured lights are spanning your horizon just like a rainbow. You’ll feel like you’re constantly walking under a celestial arch. That special light together with love, as if filtering from a silver lantern floating in love’s union, surrounds you. Much greater than the lights of the physical and material realms, it is a flood releasing enchanting and dream-filled beams of light. Everything becomes immersed in the colour of its own wave.

For those who can always contemplate their surroundings with faith and consideration, the universe in all four directions is a marvellous exhibition adorned with spiritual pleasures. It cannot be seen with physical eyes nor heard by physical ears; it can only be sensed with conscience and vision. The universe is a song bursting with eternal notes and an encyclopedia whose every line is full of meaning that could fill books. Those who hear it seem to have awakened to heaven: those who listen to it can be said to have listened to a chorus of houris; those who read it reach the happiness of sharing the four Holy Books’ points of concurrence and accord.

The Creative Power has spread the earth before our eyes meaningfully filled with knowledge. affection and love like a breathing, animate creature changing the colours of its skirts according to the seasons. In the earth’s bosom running streams have sprung up whispering eternal melodies to our ears and quickening our hearts with murmurs of eternity. A spell has been cast on our thoughts and feelings, our heads are spinning. The heavens full of colour and light, like a magical, mysterious ball, incite us to poetical inspiration. The earth is adorned like a bridal suite, and life, without being a difficult puzzle, can be lived, breathed, smelled, and felt as a delightful, constantly sought-after enjoyment, the continuation of which is hopefully awaited, Life has been raised to a level of spiritual pleasure and tranquillity.

This magical world, as much as we have been able to see and perceive it, is an unbelievable dream world. The things in it appear like a slope of heaven with their essential beauty displayed before our eyes. With the aid of this different view and perception, in order to go beyond the limited pleasures of our temporary lives and to receive our share of the unfading beauty of all creation, we always open our perishable souls to eternity and, as if we were tasting eternity’s pleasure and hearing eternity’s dialect, we can change the fleeting seconds of our lives into years. Due to such luminous moments, every spirit can gain immortality, of course, to the extent that it can internalise such situations, and benefit generously from eternity’s inspirations.

If one day the sound of everything is silenced, if all of creation swallows its tongue and doesn’t say anything to us, or if we hear but don’t understand, still, with the traces of this temporary light that has filled our hearts, our spirits will constantly pursue those luminous moments. On every new horizon our eyes will seek those seconds of illumination and shine brightly with the torches of truth and hope burning in our hearts.