الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا ، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمداً عبده ورسوله ، اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه  ومن تبعه إلى يوم الدين.

The Quran is unique among all revelations because of the breadth of the subjects it offers as Allah says in Surat Al-Nahl:

وَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ تِبۡيَـٰنً۬ا لِّكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ (٨٩)

We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for the Muslims. (Al-Nahl 16:89)

These diverse subjects are intended to not only develop Muslims’ beliefs but also to develop Muslims’ cognitive, intellectual and communication abilities.  To achieve these objectives, the Quran has systematic approach to study it and the confusion that is caused by some Muslims may be attributed to their failure to follow these steps.  The 7 steps that one can identify from the Quran are sequential in nature to ensure proper advancement in the degree of our understanding. These seven sequential steps are:

1. Reading (Qira’ah) (قراءة) (Uttering the words and sentences whether one may or may not understand the meanings of what is being read)
2. Recitation (Tilawah) (تلاوة) (Understanding of the meanings of the words considering the context)
3. Purification (Tazkiah) (تزكية) (Purification of the soul to ensure high level of Taqwa)
4. Tarteel (ترتيل) (Assembly of verses addressing the same topic)
5. Tadabour (تدبر) (deep study by linking and harmonizing related verses)
6. Recollection (Tadhakur) (تذكر) (memorization and reminder of past learnings)
7. Study (Dirasah) (دراسة) (Continuous study by breaking down every letter/word/ Ayat to analyze)

I presented these 7 steps in more details in two previous talks.  One entitled “Unlocking the Secrets of the Quran – Study Approach”, presented on June 23, 2019 and the second entitled “Why are Some Muslims Fail to be Saviors? presented on March 8, 2020. You can refer to them for more details.

One of the steps that we are demanded to reach is step 5 which is in the step of Tadabour because it is a command form Allah as He said in Surat Sad:

كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ  )ص(

(This is) a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they should ponder over its Verses, and those who have understanding may remember. “(Sad 38:29)

 Allah warns those who are not willing to do the Tadabour that the reason is that their hearts are locked as He said:   

أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَى قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا )محمد(

Will they not ponder over the Qur’an, or are there locks on the hearts.” (Mohammad 47:24)

To ensure that your heart is unlocked, you need to first purify your heart and increase your Taqwa and then spend the effort to seriously study the Quran and do not worry about making mistakes because Allah will be guiding you as He promised those who have Taqwa by saying:

وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُڪُمُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ۬

“Have Taqwa and Allah will teach you and Allah is all knowing of all things.” (Al-Baqara 2:282)

In doing the Tadbour, we need to be aware of the two classes of verses in the Quran.  There are those verses that are very concise, unambiguous, and very clear and have definite meaning (آيَـٰتٌ مُّحْكَمَـٰتٌ) and there is no tadabour because they are very obvious, and these verses present the foundation of our belief. 

The tadabour is for the other class of verses that Allah describes as “Mutashabihat” (مُتَشَـٰبِهَـٰتٌ) that have no definite meanings and thus people can offer them different interpretations based on their level of education, technical specialties, and the scientific advancement, but no one really knows the real interpretation except Allah.   The danger happens when someone thinks that he has ultimate knowledge and wants to give singular interpretation and thus creates doubt about the accuracy of the Quran because his interpretation can be proven wrong as new discoveries made and scientific knowledge advances.   Allah defines the two classification of the verses in the Quran and warns of those who think they know it all by saying:

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنْهُ آيَـٰتٌ مُّحْكَمَـٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـٰبِهَـٰتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَـٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ٱبْتِغَاء ٱلْفِتْنَةِ وَٱبْتِغَاء تَأْوِيلِهِ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلاَّ ٱلله وَٱلرسِخُونَ فِي ٱلْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ ءامَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مّنْ عِندِ رَبّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ ٱلالْبَـٰبِ

“He is the (One) Who sent down upon you the Book, out of it there are verses that have definite and well-established meanings “Muhkamat” and they are the essence (Literally: the Mother) of the Book, and there are others that are “Mutashabihat” ambiguous (whose definite meanings are unknown).

So, as for those whose hearts are swerving go after the ambiguous parts “mutashabih,” seeking confusion and seeking its “Tai’weleh” interpretation, while no one knows its interpretation except Allah.

And those who are firmly established in knowledge say: “We have believed in it; all is from our Lord.” And no one can always be in state of awareness except those who are endowed with intellects.” (Al-Imran 3:7)

As long as we try to interpret these ambiguous verses as an intellectual exercise while honoring both the meaning of the words according to the Arabic language and the use in similar verses in the Quran and also assuring the harmonization between the different verses and as part of fulfilling Allah’s command to do Tadabour of the Quran and recognize that Allah is the only One who Knows the true interpretation, this is encouraged.  This is what we do in most of the talks we have including this one.  Therefore, you are at no obligation to accept the proposed interpretation and as I have always said, if you agree with me, you can share the information as yours and if you disagree, just consider it as human effort to unlock some secrets of the Quran.

In today’s talk I’ll, Insha’Allah, try to address the confusion that some people raise regarding whether it is fair that a person who spends say 50 years on this earth doing evil things be condemned in Hell for eternity.  The issue becomes complicated when you consider the circumstances that the person is born in. Should those people get second chance.  We note that those people who are condemned to Hell will actually ask Allah for second chance, as Allah informs us in several verses:

وَلَوۡ تَرَىٰٓ إِذۡ وُقِفُواْ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَقَالُواْ يَـٰلَيۡتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٢٧)

“If you only could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: “Would that we were but sent back; then we would not reject the signs of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!” (Al-Anaam 6:27)

قَالُواْ رَبَّنَا غَلَبَتۡ عَلَيۡنَا شِقۡوَتُنَا وَڪُنَّا قَوۡمً۬ا ضَآلِّينَ (١٠٦) رَبَّنَآ أَخۡرِجۡنَا مِنۡہَا فَإِنۡ عُدۡنَا فَإِنَّا ظَـٰلِمُونَ (١٠٧)

“They will say: “Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were erring people. (106) “Our Lord! Bring us out of this; if we do this again (to evil), then indeed we shall be transgressors.” (Al-Mumenoon 23:1106-07)

وَلَوۡ تَرَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِہِمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ رَبَّنَآ أَبۡصَرۡنَا وَسَمِعۡنَا فَٱرۡجِعۡنَا نَعۡمَلۡ صَـٰلِحًا إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ (١٢

“And if you only could see when the transgressors hanging their heads down before their Lord (saying): “Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back (to the world), that we will do righteous good deeds. Verily! We now believe with certainty.” (Al-Sajda 32:12)

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَهُمۡ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يُقۡضَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ فَيَمُوتُواْ وَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنۡهُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِهَاۚ كَذَٲلِكَ نَجۡزِى كُلَّ ڪَفُورٍ۬ (٣٦) وَهُمۡ يَصۡطَرِخُونَ فِيہَا رَبَّنَآ أَخۡرِجۡنَا نَعۡمَلۡ صَـٰلِحًا غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِى ڪُنَّا نَعۡمَلُۚ (٣٧)

” As for those who disbelieve, for them will be the Fire of Hell. Neither they will be sentenced to death, so they could die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. It is in this way that We will punish every disbeliever! (36) And they will cry: “Our Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not the way we have been doing before.” (Fatir 35:36-37)  

For all these requests, Allah respond by saying:

أَوَلَمۡ نُعَمِّرۡكُم مَّا يَتَذَڪَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ وَجَآءَكُمُ ٱلنَّذِيرُۖ فَذُوقُواْ فَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ (٣٧)

” “Did We not give you long enough lives in which lesson could have been learnt by the one who wished to heed the lesson? And the warner came to you. So have taste because the wrongdoers will have no supporter.” (Fatir 35:37)

Allah also says regarding them: 

وَلَوۡ رُدُّواْ لَعَادُواْ لِمَا نُہُواْ عَنۡهُ وَإِنَّہُمۡ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ (٢٨)

“But if they were sent back, they would certainly go for what they were forbidden from. And indeed, they are sheer liars.” (Al-Anaam 6:28)

We as Muslims, obviously accept Allah’s declaration that if they return, they will surely do the same, but would non-Muslims accept this basis, or they would still consider that punishment is unjust particularly when considering that the person may have been born in non-Muslim family and growing up in a criminal environment that he did not select. 

We can argue that Allah will consider the circumstances of the person in His judgement.  However, in this talk, I am going to provide another justification for Allah’s ultimate justice by making the following hypothesis:

Every person will be given seven chances with him growing up under different conditions and only those who commit atrocities under all the seven conditions will be truly deserving the eternal Hell. If under any of these conditions, the person demonstrates righteousness, he will be judged according to his best performance.

To rationalize this hypothesis, let us consider two verses form the Quran and on one Hadith as basis for justifying this hypothesis.

There are two verses and Hadeath that suggest that Allah has created seven heavens that are identical, you can call them seven universes, in each one there is an earth exactly like ours. In Surat Al-Mulk Allah says: :

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبۡعَ سَمَـٰوَٲتٍ۬ طِبَاقً۬ا‌ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِى خَلۡقِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ مِن تَفَـٰوُتٍ۬‌ۖ

“Who has created seven congruent heavens (identical, in harmony). You see no deviation in the creation of Al-Rahman.”  (Al-Mulk 67:3)

﴿ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا ﴾

“Allah is the One Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge. (Al-Talaq 65:12) 

We get the explanation for these seven identical heavens and earths in a remarkably interesting hadeath that is reported by Abu Hatem (أبي حاتم) and Al-Hakim (الحاكم) and Al-Bayhaqi (البيهقي) that Ibn Abbas (ابن عباس) said in the interpretation of the verse:

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ

“Allah is He who created seven heavens, and of the earth the like thereof” (65:12):

 رواه ابن أبي حاتم في تفسيره والحاكم في مستدركه، وصححه  ثم رواه البيهقي ، عن أبي الضحى، عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أنه قال: الله الذي خلق سبع سماوات ومن الأرض مثلهن. قال: سبع أرضين في كل أرض نبي كنبيكم، وآدم كآدم، ونوح كنوح، وإبراهيم كإبراهيم، وعيسى كعيسى. ) قال الحاكم هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد ووافقه الذهبي في التلخيص فقال : صحيح, قال البيهقى : إسناده صحيح إلا أنه شاذ(

That, there are Seven earths: In every earth there is a prophet like your Prophet, Adam like your Adam, Nuh like your Nuh, Ibrahim like your Ibrahim and ‘Isa like your ‘Isa”.

Regarding this hadeath, no one disputes the credibility of the narrators, but several consider it strange.  Obviously, it will seem strange to many people who are not scientists.  Also, one point that is worth mentioning is that Ibn Abbas and none of the narrators could have invented this interpretation; Ibn Abbas must have heard this interpretation form the Prophet (PBUH).  

I am not going to review the current physics theories regarding the existence of parallel universes that are exactly like ours since I discussed it in past talks.  But they key point is that these most advanced theories neither contradict the verses nor the hadith. So, let us accept the interpretation that there are six identical copies of every human being who exist in in other universes but live-in different times and under completely different circumstances.   If we accept this awareness, we need to understand how Allah will judge among the seven of us.  Will we be held accountable for the actions of our identical six?    

The answer for this question can be derived from other verses in the Quran in which Allah says:

 لِيَجۡزِيَہُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَحۡسَنَ مَا عَمِلُواْ وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَرۡزُقُ مَن يَشَآءُ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ۬ (٣٨)

“That Allah will reward them according to the best of their deeds and give them even more out of His Grace. And Allah provides without measure to whom He wills” (Al-Nour 24:38)

أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنۡہُمۡ أَحۡسَنَ مَا عَمِلُواْ وَنَتَجَاوَزُ عَن سَيِّـَٔاتِہِمۡ فِىٓ أَصۡحَـٰبِ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ‌ۖ وَعۡدَ ٱلصِّدۡقِ ٱلَّذِى كَانُواْ يُوعَدُونَ (١٦

“They are those from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evil deeds. (They shall be) among the dwellers of Paradise — a promise of truth, which they have been promised.” (Al-Ahqaf 46:16)

These two verses suggest that Allah will only hold every person accountable for the best of what any of the seven identical persons have done.    Therefore, anyone who is condemned in Hell for eternity will have no excuse because he had been given 7 chances under different circumstances and conditions and he failed in all of them. 

Since we still have few minutes, let expand a little on the verse in Suart Al-Mulk, Allah says:

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبۡعَ سَمَـٰوَٲتٍ۬ طِبَاقً۬ا‌ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِى خَلۡقِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ مِن تَفَـٰوُتٍ۬‌ۖ فَٱرۡجِعِ ٱلۡبَصَرَ هَلۡ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ۬ (٣) ثُمَّ ٱرۡجِعِ ٱلۡبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيۡنِ يَنقَلِبۡ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡبَصَرُ خَاسِئً۬ا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ۬ (٤)

“Who has created seven identical heavens. You see no deviation in the creation of Al-Rahman; then look again: do you any flaw? (3) Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you diminished. (Al-Mulk 67:3-4) 

Allah says, when you look, your sight will return to you (خَاسِئً۬ا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ۬).  How do we see?  We see when a light wave which is stream of photons travelling at speed of light which is about 300,000 km/s (186,000 miles/sec) hit an object and then reflects form the object to our eye.  To appreciate how fast this speed, in one second the light makes 7.5 rotations around the earth. 

The verse states that the reflective light wave will return to us (خَاسِئً۬ا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ۬), it means that when the light wave hits the object, it will return to us diminished.  The Doppler radar knows whether the object being monitored is approaching the position of the radar or moving away from the radar by the strength of the returning signal. If the signal comes stronger, it means that the object is approaching and if it comes weakened, it means that the object of going away.  

The use of the term (خَاسِئً۬ا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ۬) is amazing because it means that the target, we are looking at is moving away form us and this obviously consistent with the concept of expanding the universe which is also supported with another clear verse.

وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ *

With a mighty hand power, we build the heaven, and we are surely expanding it. (Al-Zariat 51:47)

The reference to the expanding universe was revealed to us over 1400 years ago while the theory of expanding universe was only proposed less than 45 years ago by Professor Alan Harvey Guth who is a Professor of theoretical physics and cosmology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

One point that may be worth mentioning is the current book of Tafseer for verse 12 of Surat Al-Talaq:

﴿ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا ﴾

“Allah is the One Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge. (Al-Talaq 65:12)

In books of Tafseer, the interpreters suggested that the reference to 7 earths refers to 7 layers of the earth, but this suggestion does not offer interpretation to the rest of the verse regarding that Allah’s command descends between them and also fails to explain how this interpretation demonstrates that Allah has power over all things.  But the suggestion of 7 identical universes provided plausible explanation of the whole verse.  Allah knows best.

DUA