The Ants

In Surah Naml we find the speech of the ants and of the hoopoe bird, both mentioned, and juxtaposed. 

The Surah is itself surrounded by The Poets on one side and Stories on the other, and they are all three clearly related because of their beginning letters. 

We are presented with the speech of the ant, who says,  Oh you ants, get into your dwellings lest the army of Solomon tramples you unknowingly. 

This sentence reveals a subject - predicate structure. 

That the ant is conscious of itself, the other ants and their surroundings, first from looking at the Arabic*1, and then when we deliberate on it, from the ant recognising a threat to himself and then to his fellow ants. 

The story of the speech of the hoopoe bird is even more intriguing. 

Here we have an exchange between King Solomon (as) and the bird. 

Whereas with the ant Suleiman (as) “heard” the speech and simply smiled in gratitude and responded with humility. 

The hoopoe spies a land where the people do not worship the Most Gracious and this shocks him, so he goes to investigate further. 

When he returns to the army of Suleman (as), he is scolded and warned that if he has lied then he would have a severe punishment. 

This is intriguing on two points-

1- since Nabi Suleman (as) insinuated that the hoopoe might be lying, we must believe that it had the capacity to lie. 

But lying as an act only occurs when we have either something to lose in order to prevent its loss, or something to gain in order to effect its gain.  

This suggests that the hoopoe owns or possesses something, or can own or possess something and therefore does. 

When you see a lion in its natural habitat, then you notice how slow it is to act and aggression. And you realise that it is it’s pride, and status, that make it so slow to wake. But once woken then it is a force to contend with. 

If you take a look at the hoopoe, it by design of the Most Gracious is made to wear a crown on its head. 

In the animal kingdom in general the male of a species looks the more beautiful and startling*2, 

But with the hoopoe, both the male and female wear that distinctive crown. 

So it is as if here the hoopoe possess at the very least pride, and that by God’s Grace. 

Contrasting this with the speech of the ant is intriguing. 

For when we consider how bees communicate the direction in which to fly to gather nectar *3, it is clear that their language is laborious. 

So in a like manner we would expect the same of the ant, but even with the time consuming nature of his communication his own safety is of little concern to him, but what is of more concern are the fellows in his community. 

So the ant is selfless in contrast to the hoopoe. 

It is as God here is evidencing to us the sheer variety of His creation. 

2- We know that the hoopoe recognised the Most Gracious, and would then have known thus that Suleman (as) was His true prophet. 

So how can we reconcile the statement of Suleman (as) when he accused him of potentially lying?

Once again with the Quranic speech we need regard for context. 

The hoopoe was part of Suleman’s (as) army. When he returned is when the speech between them occurs. 

However when Suleman (as) noted his absence it would have been when the ranks of his army were arraigned. 

And so his absence would have been noted by everyone in that army of Men, Jinn and birds. 

That is why the speech then must have occurred in the presence of the army, for the hoopoe to give an account of himself. 

For the fundamental defining characteristic of all armies is discipline. 

And moreover within his army are the generally rebellious Jinn, who are moreover very sensitive. 

Indeed the Most Gracious is sustainer off all of these Worlds and maintains them in harmony with one another, no one eclipsing the other.

Alhamdolillah. 

Indeed knowledge is sought through contemplation and study. 

Nor speeches, nor this above. 

*1 Arabic grammar differentiates between subject, object and indirect object by the vowel sounding off its last consonant letter. 

*2 consider simply peacocks and peahens. 

*3 known as the bee dance. 

For that Son will Shine the Brightest

Blessed. 

My errors only reveal my sincerity. 

Alhamdolillah 

More Information

It’s counterintuitive to think that the more information that is present within a string of symbols*1, the less meaning it carries. 

That is why Allah t’ala finely balances them within His Speech and refers to them both in V7 of Al-Imran. 

That we take instruction from that which is clear, and these the Most Gracious calls the mother of the book, and only those endowed with understanding they say “All of it is from Allah”, and they seek the meaning within it. And they do this with regards to the instructions carried within it, and then they deliberate and struggle with those things that He puts there for you to struggle with. 

Because it is in the struggle that the meaning exists. 

Most people would say the opposite: that information conveys meaning and therefore the more information that is present will naturally make you think that it would carry more meaning. 

Consider simply:

1- The boy sat on the wall. 

2- The green eyed boy sat on the red brick wall. 

Is there really more meaning contained within proposition 2 than 1?

There is clearly more information. 

And then, consider 

3- The scared boy sat on the silent wall. 

Clearly proposition 3 has more meaning, but also less proportionate information because it opens up more questions to us, when compared to Proposition 2. 

And both proposition 2 and 3 would appear to have the same amount of information. 

Indeed in proposition 3 our brains scream out for more information and suddenly entertain many possibilities. *2

We suddenly consider scenarios that could “explain” the information, and are eager for it to be explained. 

But because of the lack of information that we desire, proportionally 3 contains less information than either 1 or 2. 

Whereas in 1 and 2 we have complete information and feel a measure of satisfaction, in 3 there is no satisfaction, but there is plenty more meaning. 

Indeed when we say “Shafi means …” such and such, that statement only makes sense when we are clearing up ambiguity. So therefore meaning is intractably linked to ambiguity and not information, for “meaning” only has meaning within that context. 

When it is self evident what I mean, then the word meaning losses it’s meaning within that context. 

And when we talk about “the meaning of life” what we really mean is that we are searching for a reason, and a purpose. 

Once again it is the ambiguity as to that reason , and purpose of our lives, that gives “the search for meaning” it’s meaning within this context. 

Very often the Muhaddith way of addressing v7 of Al-Imran is to completely airbrush out of existence the “wa” of conjunction:

And none knows it’s meaning (taw’il) *3 except Allah, *and* those who are deeply rooted in knowledge, they say “we believe in it, and all it is from Allah”. 

That this statement includes the conjunction “and” that precedes it, is a problem for them because when they remove it from their discourses and their tafseers they fall outside of the category of those that are mentioned within that same verse: “those deeply rooted in knowledge”. This because they ignore the conjunction of ‘wa’. 

Because the Muhaddith way is that they do not want you to think and deliberate. 

The basis of their knowledge is justification and not speculation. 

For whilst the religion has been made clear, the upward paths beyond that are fraught with trials and tribulations. 

Interpretations and yes, speculation. 

Because interpretation is speculative in essence. It requires for you to consider more than one possible way of reading and understanding it. 

And then the Most Gracious finishes the  verse with ..

“And none considers this (contemplates this) except the doors (to understanding)”

So here the Most Gracious is recommending for you to contemplate it, and deliberate on His words… all of them and not just the former portion that refers to those that follow only the allegorical and leave off from the Mother of the Book. *4

Within this schematic of information and meaning, where then does knowledge fit?

Traditionally knowledge is said to be joined up information, that is that knowledge is gained from “knowing” the interconnectedness between things. 

But within this schematic*5 it takes on a completely different hue. 

You can say that you have knowledge when you “know” how to act, and this only becomes apparent when you do act. 

For knowledge should bring clarity, and clarity is a pre-requisite to cogent- that is wilful and deliberate- action. 

And once you know how to act, then how can not fail to act?

We can see this clearly in verse 7…

“And they say: “We believe in it; the whole of it is from our Lord”. 

Is not the greatest of actions the Kalimah Shahadah?

That our first fundamental action is the testimony of faith. 

Indeed when the purpose of your life becomes clearer to you then you would recognise that our great forbears, the renowned Companions of the Messenger (saw), as they grew closer to the Most Gracious realised the necessity of action even more. That closeness makes of you a man with a mission to accomplish. 

And I bear witness that none is worthy of worship and sincere devotion save Allah, without partner or helper, and that Muhammad (saw) is His servant and Messenger who fulfilled His trust and delivered His message in truth. 

May I be a door for you to become of those brought close. Aameen. 

Knowledge is sought through study and contemplation. Not lectures, nor this above. 

*1 whether these be verbal, or written, the same is true for both. 

*2 So for example if he’s scared why is he sitting in plain sight on the wall?

Could it possibly be happening at night?

But then why isn’t he cowering under a blanket like most boys when the nightmares are upon them?

*3 sometimes also translated as explanation which is only another word for meaning. 

*4 So think deeply and do not be of those shallow thinkers who worry about authenticity, and forget that Allah t’ala Himself has said that He would protect His religion. 

*5 where meaning is defined as an active principle in how and when it is used in our discourses. 

A Person of Paradise

*A Person of Paradise”

A man came to the Messenger (saw) within the Polity of Medina and asked if he performed all of his fardh prayers would he be entered into Heaven. 

The Messenger (saw) simply replied yes. 

The man then said that I will do the fardh and not less than it, nor any more than that, and promptly left. 

As he walked away the Messenger (saw) said of him, to the companions that were present, that that man was a man of Jannah (Heaven). 

The scholars have explained this by saying that what the Messenger (saw) meant by this was that the man would be a man of Jannah if he fulfilled what he had said he would fulfil. 

But this is a stretch of imagination, by them, for one who was sent to make things clear. 

So let us revisit this without the encumbrances of our scholars. 

The statement of the Messenger (saw) that he was a man of Jannah was a statement of fact. Because he delivered it as a fact. 

Now he must have told his companions this fact in order to teach them some fundamental lesson. 

When you appreciate that then you cannot think that the lesson he wished to impart was one of ifs and buts. 

Please allow a moment to go over my argument above before proceeding further. 

So if the Messenger (saw) was not making reference to a conditional appreciation of the man’s claim, he must have been referring to something else. 

The only other thing that would have been apparent to him and his companions was not the future likelihood of his fulfilling the ask, but of some innate quality that the man had, that guaranteed him paradise. *1

So we are forced to consider his quality. 

The options that are given by the limited exchange are few, and that is what makes this such an important deliberation, and then lesson. 

1- his resolve. 

For just as Musa (as) said I am the first of believers, but then when he asked the Most Gracious if he was the most knowledgeable was shown Khidr (as). 

Just as the believers made the pact under the tree before Hudabiyyah. 

God delights when you resolve. 

It is as if the Most Gracious delights in your show, or want, for strength or to be the best that you can be. 

For off course all men are weak, but the pious when their weakness becomes apparent return back to the Most Gracious in absolute humility. 

Recall the Quranic lessons of David (as) and the litigants, Solomon’s (as) armies and the ant. 

Let’s proceed further because the real lesson is still two steps away.  

2- that he did not want to increase the religion beyond the limits set by it. 

It is a characteristic of the religious that they like to overstep the bounds set by the religion itself. But the truly pious, they know that the religion is complete and is thus, so as to appeal to everyone. 

This has always been the case and is one of the reasons that Ibrahim (as) asked that the Most Gracious make him not a trial for the people, and that therefore he has no Nation.*2

And in the lifetime of the Messenger (saw) remember the three, one who wanted to pray all night, the other who wanted to fast each day, the last who wanted to eschew from women. *3

This man’s quality is that he knew that the religion is for all of the people, and that to make it more than it is, is to make it harder for the people. 

Now for the last step. 

When we consider the two cases above, they are not dissimilar. 

For in both cases the men are saying things that it will be impossible, or hard, for them to keep to. But in the first case the man does not go beyond the limits. 

So when we deliberate further it is that the first man resolutely sets himself to not go further. And this marks him as a man of paradise. For he puts his trust in the Most Gracious to complete what he starts. Indeed the Mercy of the Most Gracious is so powerful, and he whom He covers with it … for them that is fully sufficient. 

But for those that think that it is their prayer, or their fasting, or their eschewing from living fully in the life of the community that God puts you in, will cause them to enter paradise. These they are far from it. 

For Closeness to God is an opportunity that God Himself presents to you, and those that it is presented to do not let their endeavours in that matter make it more difficult for another. *4

For belief is precious. 

And the beginning of it is submission to the religion of God. 

So do not overcomplicate the religion thinking that it makes you more special. 

The way of ascent is through sacrifice, and your guidebook throughout the journey back to the Most Gracious is nothing other than the Quran. 

Let it speak to you, and respond to its ask*5. For it is indeed the speech of the Most Merciful, Lord of all the Worlds. 

And then let God complete you in full submission. Then you will never grieve. 

Knowledge is sought through contemplation and study. 

May the Most Gracious enable for me to be a door for you to become closer to Him. Aameen. 

*1 For it is an undoubted truth that all men at some time in their life fail, and that is why we make it up afterwards and then do istighfar.

And it is the istighfar that brings us closer. 

*2 Allah t’ala honoured him by calling him the father of the Nation of Muhammed (saw) in the last verse of S Hajj. 

*3 Narrated Anas bin Malik (ra). 

“A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) asking how the Prophet (ﷺ) worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, "Where are we from the Prophet (ﷺ) as his past and future sins have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers).”

*4

That is why the Messenger (saw) said:

“Verily, this religion is firmly solid, so come into it gently.” 

Surprisingly also narrated by Anas bin Malik (ra). 

*5 

This means internalise it, and interpret it and grapple with it. Make it personal to yourself. For that is it’s real bounty. 

Just Three Cultures

Just three cultures produced the greatest innovations, and the greatest advancements, that we have seen to the human condition. 

And because out of many, those three must have some commonality about them. 

For the Greeks democracy was only for the free male, non servile classes, whilst those who did not fit that descriptive were born to serve and were never free. 

And you will never find any history about that underclass that propped up the Greek City-States. *1

The Industrial Revolution followed on from the age of conquest, and empire, that saw the British Monarch granting exclusive licences to essentially exploit anything and everything that could be had elsewhere. As a self-reenforcing system this meant that your wealth was dependent both operationally and “legally” on your support for the Monarch. 

This is saw great wealth accumulated by a certain class of people. 

Both of the above two cultures produced classes of people who had the leisure time to think deeply about the World and our place within it, and then to experiment. 

After all that endeavour costs time, effort and money. And of itself does not produce any wealth. 

Indeed industry is born of innovation, but innovation is rarely had when you focus on healthy cash flows. *2

The anomaly then is the Islamic culture, that is completely at odds with exploitative behaviour. So much so that the Most Gracious and His Messenger make war upon those who guarantee themselves a profit, and forego any commensurate risk. *3

What is it then about Muslim culture that saw them have so much leisure time and opportunity to innovate, deliberate and think so deeply about all things. 

For sure the Quran has been, and can continue to be, a phenomenal spur towards the advancement of Mankind, wholesale. And The Most Gracious has Himself promised to collect it, to protect it and to explain it. 

However something else must also be at play within early Muslim culture that caused it to excel and innovate in Science, Technology, and related areas. 

Adam Smith in his seminal work “The Wealth of Nations” argued that free trade makes everyone wealthier precisely because it makes everything all the more affordable. *4

The fundamental building block of Muslim society is the family, but the primary endeavour of each individual that occupies him five times a day is the SALAAT. It is this necessity to come together as a collective and to pray that made us, and can make us again, all wealthier. And this is not in regards of Akhira. 

If you are unsure about this then read and contemplate the last few verses of S Jumaa’. 

When the Most Gracious says that He is the best of providers, what He is actually saying is that by heeding His words He will literally make us all wealthier. 

And is not the best way of doing such a thing by making all things all the more affordable?

Recall then the companion of the Messenger (saw) who whilst sojourned, isolating himself in the Mosque with the Most Gracious, during the last ten Itikaaf days and night of blessed Ramadan. 

He heard of a brothers need and ran hastily from his preoccupation worshiping our Creator in order to fulfil that need. 

He did so because he recalled the Messenger’s (saw) words that to fulfil the needs of a brother is better than Itikaaf. 

When you have a society of people that each care deeply for one another, then the Most Gracious makes you all by return wealthier. 

The coming together five times a day not only allows for us to fulfil each others’ needs but also is the basis for collaborative and generative work. 

And it is this wealth that allowed our forbears to innovate, and think deeply about our cosmos and our place within it.

Creating within us brilliant thinkers whose light of knowledge still illuminates our way and the way of our Messenger (saw). That we too can again create a society that excels in all things. 

*KNOWLEDGE is sought through study and contemplation. Not lectures, nor this above*

*1 if no history were ever written about them, then that implies that they never once revolted, being so oppressed that they could not. 

*2 look at the story for the invention of the locomotive. 

*3 see v277-280 Al-Baqara. 

The essential defining characteristic of Ribaa’ is that it is accumulating wealth in a risk free manner. 

The third pillar of Islam, Zakat is so constructed that it is against the accumulation of wealth. 

*4 that when free trade occurs, then each Nation is free to excel in that which it does best, and then bring those things to a common marketplace. 

OUR HOMELANDS

During the first thirteen years of the call to the Most Gracious, in Mecca, the number of Muslims numbered a few hundred. 

Within the ten years that followed, at Medina, not only did Muslims number in excess of tens of thousands (Fatah Mecca) but the Messenger’s (saw) influence could be felt in Persia, Rome, Egypt and the Yemen. 

Within one hundred years the Empire of the Faith reached from Spain to India, and from Turkey to sub-Saharan Africa.

The idea of Islam inspired people so much during that period that we would be right to call those areas, even up until this day, our homelands (Darul Islam) *1.  

This persistence puts paid to the erroneous idea of Islam being spread by the sword: for Empires made by conquest, as a rule, fade whereas Islam only appears to have grown stronger and more relevant with each age. 

Indeed the abundant mercies of the Most Gracious are clearly evident to any that cares to look. And it is not that Islam makes this case well, as so often those who concentrate on inviting people towards the Most Gracious would like for us to believe. 

Rather there is something else at play, in regards to the relevance and persistence of the Religion in those our homelands. 

Even as far back as to the times of Nuh (as), Noah, we find that his people did not want to appreciate, and so could not “see” the sign (miracle) that he was sent with. 

And that instead they focussed their argument against believing on … “how can we believe when the worst of the people follow you”. 

That theme occurs even at the start of the Quran, at the start of Baqara. And later within Baqara the Most Gracious rebukes that class of people with the same words that they use to rebuke the poor, downtrodden and helpless who even then choose to believe. 

That they are the real downtrodden and worthless people, through their own choice. 

In Sham (Syria) when the Muslim armies needed to regroup to face the greatest battle of their time against Rome, at Hittin. They had garrisoned themselves outside of the Syrian towns, and as they could no longer guarantee the resident populations protection against the oppression of Caesar, the Muslim commanders ordered that the Jizyah be returned. 

This speaks volumes. 

But again only to those that care to listen. So please do think on this before ongoing. 

That our people are not the intelligent literate classes, who are so often the target of our brothers focused on Dawa, but our people are the downtrodden ones victimised by the State that we live in. 

Those are our people. 

Who will never get a fair trial, nor hearing. Who are unjustly criminalised by an oppressive Criminal Justice System. 

And not only are those our people, we are those people. 

For we disproportionately outnumber within the criminalised, because we are so often the target of the Police who are bent on conviction, to the extent that they have no moral qualms lying to magistrates, judges and the public. 

Sarah Everard’s killer is no exception to the rule. The Police routinely protect their own. 

And how many have been sent down just because of Police testimony. 

Anyone with a care to read between the lines knows full well how they lie. 

For the MacDonald’s  Manager said that he had shown the CCTV to the Officer. 

She said contradictorily that the Met did not prioritise that crime, and within the same breath that the footage was shown to another Officer and not her. 

Truth be told, they are not tasked with investigating but with criminalising. 

We have within our volumes the fullest description of the Devils and what they are eager to accomplish. 

How many Muslims families are broken because of them, and their false morality?

So *If you believe in Allah and the last Day, why will you not fight?*

The pressing question for those who believe is “who should we fight?”

For the Israeli problem requires for a Palestinian solution. Just as does the Syrian problem.

So whilst we might feel their pain, as if it is our pain, their resolution must come from within themselves. 

The example that we must set for them is that we are fearless in the things that affect us and our people. 

That we will inveigh against a biased Criminal Justice System, and a Police Force that criminalises instead of investigating. For these are our oppressors and the oppressors of our people, who yet wait to call themselves Muslim. 

*And then when we do that with truth, and sacrifice, and openness, then these will be our homelands.*

Knowledge is sought through study and contemplation. 

NOTES TO FOLLOW.