قُلِ انظُرُوا
مَاذَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا تُغْنِي الْآيَاتُ وَالنُّذُرُ عَن
قَوْمٍ لَّا
يُؤْمِنُونَ
"Say, "Look at what there is in the heavens and on Earth." But Signs and warnings will not benefit the people who do not believe."
Yet to benefit from His signs, the heart must first carryIman(faith), for even the faintest spark of faith can ignite the soul's journey toward discovering God. As thatImandeepens, the ability to perceive and appreciate His signs grows stronger. It is a reciprocal relationship: the more yourImanincreases, the more you recognise and comprehend God's signs, and in turn, those signs further increase and strengthen yourIman.
The dynamic here is one of interdependence, whereIman(faith) facilitates insight, while insight nurtures and strengthensIman(faith). This feedback loop solidifies the epistemic foundations ofMa'rifahin whichIman(faith) interacts with our rationality.Iman(faith) does not create new signs; it reveals the meaning already woven into them.
The activity of the human mind fundamentally depends on the presence of these Signs. Our thoughts, ideas and emotions require connections through associations. Such associations organise cognitive structures, allowing us to make sense of the world and navigate it effectively. They act as a scaffold for understanding, revealing the deeper meaning embedded in theAyat(Signs), which manifest asNur(light).
The meaning that emerges from the Signs of God represents a higher form of light transcending the physical realm. Sa'id ibn Ali al-Qahtani, author of the well-knownHisnul Muslim,writes,
"There are two types of light. The first type is empirical light (nur hissi) that exists in the physical world...The second type is the semiotic light (nur ma'nawi) that is perceived through the spiritual heart."
Ibn al-Qayyim explains:
"There is light that is intelligible and processed by the eyes of the heart and there is physical light that is perceived through the physical eyes."
The connection between light and meaning is also evident within the English language, where we describe those who acquire knowledge as being "enlightened." Physical light illuminates our surroundings, while spiritual light provides us with knowledge of God, enabling us to journey toward Him. Both the signs and the meanings they represent emit light. The light reflected from a physical sign is processed by the physical eye, while the light of meaning is perceived by the spiritual eyes of the heart, as the Qur'an states,
فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَٰكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ
"It is not the eyes that are blind, but rather it is the hearts in the chests that are blind."
When thisNur(light) is perceived by the heart, a person becomes enlightened. Acting in accordance with this light allows it to radiate through their actions. They become a sign for others, as their righteous actions reflect the light that first entered their heart. For example, when someone is moved by God's mercy, they perceive this light with their heart's eyes. When they embody this quality by showing love and compassion, perhaps to an orphan, they are channelling that light into their actions.
As they act, their entire being radiates the same light that once touched their heart, and those around them benefit from it.
Ibn al-Qayyim elaborates:
"This is why the Prophet asked his Lord so fervently to put light in his flesh and bones, muscles, hair and skin, his hearing and sight, above and beneath him, on his right and on his left, behind him and before him -- saying, 'and make of me light'. In short, he would ask his Lord to make every particle of his inner and outer being into light."
When the heart perceives theAyatof God, knowledge transforms into conviction, and conviction into action. Awareness of Divine signs reshapes one's way of living; the Believer no longer moves through a meaningless world but through a living book written by the Creator. Thus, the perception of God's signs does not merely inform the mind; it reforms the person, aligning thought, emotion, and deed with the rhythm of Divine order.
Sayyid Qutb beautifully notes,
"Mankind is part of this universe, and their life cannot be sound or healthy unless their hearts beat with the rhythm of the universe and are connected to the rhythm of this great universe. There has to be a connection between their hearts and everything they learn about one of the stars or planets, or about the characteristics of plants and animals, or the characteristics of the entire universe in general."
This universe is an open book of truth which can be read in every language and understood by all means. It can be understood by ordinary people living in tents and huts, and by city-dwellers living in apartments and palaces. Each person can understand it according to their own level and potential and find in it some support for the truth when they search for it with the purpose of finding the truth. God has created everything on earth for our benefit:
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا
"It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth..."
The endless variety of flowers, the multitudes of animals, birds, and fish - every aspect of creation - is anAyah(Sign) of God. Each Sign, when contemplated, becomes a catalyst that stirs the latent knowledge God has woven into us. These understandings are not acquired from the outside; they already dwell within us, awaiting only our reflection upon the signs to awaken and unfold.
In truth, everyAyahis a bridge between the visible and the unseen - a sign through which the intellect awakens, and the soul remembers. The Believer does not merely observe creation but reads it, discerning meaning in every atom and purpose in every motion. Through these signs, faith and reason meet: one illuminates the other until both converge in recognition of God's greatness. The universe forms a single tapestry of Ayat, each thread pointing to the same eternal truth - that God is, and there is no doubt.
Taken from the book: “God- There is No Doubt!”
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