Monday, March 12, 2007
The 73rd sect of the Muslims
As this saying of the Prophet Mohammad comes from authentic sources, this amount to saying that merely 1.37% of the Muslim population will be going to heavens, i.e. when you surmise that all these sects have equal number of adherents. But it is very much possible that these adherents of the true path would be much less in number. This is certainly not good news to the Muslims. Also, it is not certain at the moment whether this 73rd sect has already been formed or whether it would be formed due to certain revolutionary changes in the near future.
It is to be noted that the 73rd sect will not be based on the teachings of any new Prophet nor any further book will be released. The fact that only one sect will go to heavens clearly indicate that the remaining 72 sects will get diverged from the teachings of Quran and Prophet Mohammad, so much so that their practices and believes won’t qualify them to earn a place in heaven. This tradition invites all the Muslims to introspect and reinvest their energies in the study of real Islam from authentic sources, so the the true and straight path can be found.
How can we find this 73rd sect? Our belief is that it can only be possible by tracing the true teachings of Islam and keeping the faculties of brain open to new findings. After all, wisdom and learning has been held paramount by none else but Prophet Mohammad. If we are able to do so, all the 72 sects who do not adhere to those beliefs will get exposed and this 73rd sect will get visible like the sun. We have already said that it is highly likely that this sect has not been formed yet and its adherents may not be those who presently call themselves Muslims. This is an attempt to find the original teachings of Islam in the light of Quran and its teachings. Let us hope we are able to trace the foundations on which this 73rd sect will be based!
Beginning
You are sure to be curious. We started with talking about the 73rd sect, as per Muslim belief, and are now referring to this verse from the Veda, in which the worshipper is seeking the blessing of a devata, who has been described as all creating, and imploring the devata to sweep away all sins, vices and miseries.
Translators and scholars have translated the word devata as god or gods in plural as there are several devatas that the Vedas talk about. At times, they are referred to as lesser-gods, who enjoy a very important place in this cosmos. Though the entire Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas are full of narrations about the devatas and devi, Hindus of today know very little about who the devatas actually are, where they came from, where are they at present and what is their role in the God’s universe and how are we related to them. The aforementioned verse reveals that the devatas have a say in creation, in sweeping away of sins, vices and miseries and in granting us all that is beneficial and auspicious.
Who are the devatas? As we have said, Hindus of today know little about them though it is a known fact that at least till the time of Buddha, most of the worship was confined around the devatas. Even today, the fire sacrifices and many other rituals that the Hindus undertake are dedicated to various devatas.
The reason why we decided to open up the discussion through the mention of devatas is that Hinduism, in its chaste form, is one of the oldest prevailing religions in the world and if we are of opinion that there is but one God who sent avatars or prophets in various regions, some indications must have been given regarding the true path in the Hindu scriptures that are considered sacred.
Seemingly a very weird statement by Kabir Das, revered both by Hindus and Muslims for his spiritual teachings, too became the cause of this. Kabir said: “Maha Deva is the same as Mohammad.”
In his entire life, Kabir Das tried to remove the differences that existed between Hindus and Muslims and cure the evils that inflicted them. As regards to Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, who form the Hindu trinity, he says: “Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are the names of the three states of the same soul – animation, calmness and sloth.”
At one point he said: “The idea also is vain that the Hindus and the Musalmans are two different people. They are but one.” And said: “O Santu! Listen! There is no difference between Ram and Khuda. But both the Hindus and Musalmans have gone astray.” And said: “All must love the God of all. There is no one who is a Hindu, no one who is a Musalman. The difference between the two is a false difference.” “Both (Hindus and Muslims) are simpletons, both are misled. None of them has found God. One slaughters the goat, the other, the cow. In pursuit of such vain differences, they have wasted their lives.”
Question arises how could Kabir be so off the mark that he calls Maha Deva and Mohammad as one and the same? All we know of Mahadeva is through Vedas and his reference in various myths of the Puranas. It is common knowledge that Vedas and other Hindu books of religion were scripted several hundred years prior to the birth of Mohammad at Makkah in 570 A.D. There is documented role of Mahadeva at the time of the creation of this world (the aforementioned verse too relates creation with the devata), while Mohammad was born and died right in front of history’s eye.
Owing to the fact that Mohammad was born and died in the glare of historians, we know a great deal about him. We invite you now to explore the identity of the devatas, who have been adored, revered and perhaps also worshipped from times immemorial. Unless we know their identity truly, we won’t be able to understand the scriptures nor will the devatas be given the place they deserve.
Devatas in Gita
Krishna too, considered to be an avatar by the Hindus, did not deny the existence of devatas. Several times in the Gita, there is reference to the devatas. Let us see where and in what words
Before we give various verses from the Gita, we wish to tell that all the translations of Gita that we have used in this book are taken from Nataraj Guru’s translation and commentary in English, which is available in the libraries.
The following verses are very similar to the verse from Rig Veda that we used earlier, in which the devata was described to be all creating and one who bestowed blessings and wiped away our sins. Certain Vedic and Upanishadic hymns have talked about Prajapati as well and we know clearly that Prajapati is not the Absolute God but the name of a devata. However, creation of peoples is attributed to Prajapati in Gita as well. Moreover, Gita’s words clearly state that growth and multiplication of races are attributed to a sacrifice. Devatas are the ones who are responsible for meeting our desires and it is through them that we reach the supreme merit. Supreme merit can only be reference to salvation. Also, it is said that if somebody eats without giving a portion of his food to the devatas, he is a thief. These are the clear words of the Gita. See for yourself:
In ancient times, having created the peoples, with sacrifice as pertaining to them (necessarily), Prajapati (the Lord of the peoples) said: “By this shall you grow and multiply: let this be to you the milch-cow of all desires.
With this do you gratify the devatas and they the devatas gratify you; thus gratifying reciprocally you shall reach to supreme merit.
Those devatas shall bestow on you all gratifications you desire: one who eats what is given to them without giving in turn to them, he is a thief indeed. (Gita.III.10-12)
Gita has called that person a thief who eats without giving a portion to the devatas. Let us ponder who a thief is? Thief is one who takes a thing rightfully belonging to another one, without the permission of the owner. This verse indicates that the food we eat rightfully belongs to the devatas. The words of Gita clearly state all those who eat without giving back a portion back to the devatas are thieves. What would you call us, who do not even know the true position of the devatas? Dacoits or what?
See, Gita that talks of the Absolute God all through is not devaluing the devatas. It is, in fact, upholding their importance. Yes, it is true that Gita is strongly against deification of devatas as lesser gods as there is just one Absolute God who even created the devatas (see extracts from Paingala Upanishad and Brhad Aranyaka Upanishad, given later, as confirmation to this claim.)
We know from the Vedas and Upanishads that Prajapati is not God. Yet Gita talks of Prajapati creating the people. Very strange indeed! There are certain Upanishads too that confirm Prajapati’s role in creation of several things. Can there be a duality in the teachings of two authentic scriptures? Can there be duality within Gita’s teachings itself? This mystery won’t be solved unless you conclude that the Absolute God, referred to by Gita, created the devatas like Prajapati and others, who in turn created the peoples, the food that we eat and all else. It is through the devatas that one attains the supreme merit and it is they who bestow to us all our desires. Yet they are not gods, as commentators and translators have wrongly translated.
The earlier example from Gita had said that the sacrifice was made necessary for the ancient people so that they could fulfill their desires through them. The following verse from Gita says that if we devote our sacrifices to the devatas, the results are quick, thus leading to our desires getting fulfilled.
Desiring the benefits coming from actions and thus sacrificing to the devatas, quick indeed are the results born of works in this world of men. (Gita. IV.12)
Unfortunately the man of modern times does not even know the identity of the devatas. How would he sacrifice to them? If our prayers are not getting heard these days, Gita has already told the reason.
The following verses too are important as they exclude and prohibit the worship of all but the One Absolute God. Yet due to some reason, upon which we will elaborate at some other place, the worship of the devatas is still upheld, though it is stated that it is unorthodox way of worship. One thing is clear from these verses here as well: that there is some relationship between the devatas and God and God considers the worship of other devatas, with faith, as His own worship. Again, we ask the question, who are the devatas? Are we not in complete darkness regarding such important personalities?
See what God, who is doing the talking in Gita, says of the devatas in Chapter IX of Gita.
Those persons who meditating on Me to the exclusion of all else, worship Me, to those ever established unitively I bring that solace of the unitive way of yoga.
Even those who, devoted to other devatas, worship them with faith, they in fact worship Myself, O Son of Kunti (Arjuna), though not conforming to orthodox rules. (Gita.IX.22-23)
It is clarified in the Chapter X that the relationship between the God, who is doing the talking in the Gita, and the devatas too is that of the Creator and the created. The devatas owe their origin to God and upon creation of the devatas, the God entrusted the job of creating the peoples, the food and rest of the activities in the hands of the devatas like Prajapati. So much power was bestowed on these devatas that they are called the fulfiller of desires; it is through them that people attain supreme merit i.e. salvation and it is they who provide us food and happiness. See the words of Gita:
Neither the hosts of the devatas nor the great sages know My origin; for I am indeed in every way the source of the devatas and the great sages. (Gita.X.2)
We have said a little earlier that God is doing the talking here in Gita and devatas were actually a creation of God. This is evident from the verse given above. However, if you go through the Gita, you will find that one who is doing the talking in first person (note the words like ‘My origin’, ‘I am the source of the devatas’) is also talking about the Absolute God in third person, thereby suggesting that there is one power that is the creator of the devatas but the Absolute, Non-Manifest, Invisible God is at an even higher stage.
By this logic, we have seen that three powers can be derived from Gita itself. First is the Absolute God, the next is the power that is the creator of devatas, who is talking in first person in the Gita, and the third are the devatas, who are the creators of peoples, to whom all the food belongs, who bestow the riches and lead us to salvation, but were themselves created. Is this the trinity? Yes, this and this only is the concept of trinity among the Hindus and we will show time and again that this and nothing else comprises the trinity.
Remember, Kabir’s words we gave a little earlier as per which Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are not three distinct identities but three stages of the same process. Kabir said:
“Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are the names of the three states of the same soul – animation, calmness and sloth.”
We will see later (through our study of the Upanishads) that Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are not three distinct identities but three stages of the same process, as said by Kabir. This process, you will see, is very much like the concept of big bang propounded by the scientists, as per which there was an Absolute God and nothing else, who was formless, devoid of any shape and all powerful. This Absolute God created a material power (referred to as the Manifest Self of the Absolute God or Paramatma) which further created the 14 Manus or devatas (you will see that the Manus and the devatas created prior to the creation of man are one and the same). As this ‘big bang’ process continued to expand, more beings were created but now the devatas too got involved in the rest of the creation.
Thus, the Absolute God is the Absolute Creator, the sole object of all worship, who created the Manifest Self or Paramatma, a material power, who is doing the talking in first person in the Gita, saying that the human beings ought to worship the Absolute God though the Manifest Self or Paramatma too could be worshipped and this Manifest Self or Paramatma is the creator of devatas, whose worship has not been prohibited but termed as unorthodox. A clear example that substantiates this can be seen in the following verses of the last chapter of Gita, in which the Manifest Self who is doing the talking in first person is telling the path to identity the Absolute.
How he who has ascended to perfection thereby obtains the Absolute, that supreme consummation of wisdom, that do you learn from Me, O Son of Kunti (Arjuna), in brief. (XVIII-50)
And says:
Becoming the Absolute, blissfully serene in the Self, he neither despairs nor hankers; equal-minded towards all beings, he attains a devotion to Me supreme (in character).
Through devotion he comes to know Me, how far comprehensible I am and which, in accord with first principles; then, having known Me philosophically, he immediately enters into (Me).
Although still continuing to do all actions (in life), treating Me as his refuge, by My grace he obtains the everlasting undiminishing status.
Mentally renouncing all actions into Me, regarding Me as the Supreme, resorting to unitive understanding, have Me wholly filling your (relational) consciousness.
(Thus with) consciousness filled with Me, you will overcome all obstacles by My grace, but if, from egoism, you will not listen, you shall come to ruin. (XVIII-54-58])
Now see how from talking in first person, the subject changes to third person and Lord (the Absolute God) is talked about in XVIII-61-62:
The Lord dwells in the heart-region of all beings, O Arjuna, causing all beings to revolve through the principle of appearance (maya) (as if) mounted on a machine.
Seek refuge in Him alone in all ways, O Bharata (Arjuna); by His grace you shall obtain the peaceful abode, supreme, everlasting.
And in the very next verse, the speaker (Manifest Self or the Paramatma) starts talking in first person again and says that the greatest of the secrets has been conveyed. This and nothing else is the greatest of secrets. See XVIII-63-71:
Thus has wisdom more secret than all that is secret been declared to you by Me; (critically) scrutinizing all, omitting nothing, do as you like.
Listen again to My supreme word, the most secret of all; because you are greatly beloved of Me, therefore I will tell you what is for your good.
Become one in mind with Me: be devoted to Me: sacrifice to Me: bow down to Me: you shall come to Me alone: I promise you (in) truth: you are dear to Me.
Abandoning all duties, come to Me, the One, for refuge; I shall absolve you from all sins; do not despair.
This is never to be spoken about by you to one (spiritually) undisciplined, nor to one devoid of devotion, nor to one indisposed to listen, nor again to one who denies Me.
He who gives this supreme secret to My devotee (thereby) doing for Me supreme devotion, shall doubtless come to Me.
Nor is there besides such a one among men any who is the highest performer of dear acts, nor shall there be for Me another dearer on earth.
And he who will study this dialogue of ours conducive to righteousness, by him (in effect) I shall have been worshipped through the wisdom-sacrifice; so I hold.
And the man who may merely happen to hear, endowed with faith and uncarping, even he, liberated, shall attain to the good worlds of those who perform meritorious deeds.
Another clear example which will show you how subject of conversation changes from ‘I’ in first person, who is the Manifest Self, to ‘He’ can be seen from the following verses of Chapter III of Gita:
Know that action arises from Brahma and that Brahma traces his being to the Imperishable. Therefore the all-pervasive Absolute is eternally bound up with sacrifice. (III.15)
‘Imperishable’ is reference to the Absolute God; thus
There is nothing in the three worlds that I am obliged to do, O Partha (Arjuna), nor anything unaccomplished to be accomplished, while still remain active (in principle). (III.22)
This verse further says why it is essential for all to act, even if they have realized the Self and attained union with God. What’s more, acts are essential even for the Manifest Self of God (the Paramatma).
These (various) worlds would fall into ruin should I refrain from activity and I would become the agent of evolutive confusion (samkaraa) killing in effect the peoples. (III.24)
It is taught (in ancient tradition) that the senses are beyond (transcendental); beyond the senses is the mind, beyond the mind is reason and beyond reason is He (the Absolute). (III.42)
This is the exact concept of triad or trinity that we have found in the Hindu scriptures. As you progress reading, you will find innumerable examples from Puranas, from Upanishads and from Vedas to substantiate this view.
The concept of triad or trinity exists in some form or other even among the Buddhists and Christians. As you read further, we will discuss their teachings as well, in detail and see how far these religions differ on this. Muslims have denied the concept of trinity altogether. All commentaries of Quran and several other books ridicule this concept tooth and nail and attack the Christians and Hindus for this belief. However, by the time you end reading this book, we will prove from Quran and other sources that a similar if not same concept exists, which the Muslims have been unable to understand till now. But first let us return to Gita and see who is doing the talking in Gita and what else is said there about the devatas.
It is common knowledge that the background of Gita is the war of Mahabharata.
If you read our commentary of Gita, you will find that we have given proofs that the war was not fought for possession of the
The true transformation of Arjuna that happened somewhere around the tenth and eleventh chapter of Gita is regarding knowledge about the true position of Krishna in relation to the devatas, the Manifest Self and the Absolute God.
Initially, Arjuna is speaking to
Remember, this was the time when the devatas were being worshipped as gods and we have already seen that the Manifest Self upheld this worship but called it unorthodox. Attempt all through the Gita is to tell that higher than the devatas, there is the Manifest Self or Paramatma and the invisible Absolute God is even higher than the Paramatma. Gradually, Gita takes Arjuna to realize this. All of Gita is either an attempt to make us realize this relationship or to tell that all this knowledge is useless unless we learn to rule over our own self so that it does not succumb to the vagaries of our organs of senses and action. Knowledge of the aforementioned relationship of man with the Absolute God and good actions while keeping remembrance of God in mind is prerequisite for salvation.
Now see more verses from Gita that talk about the devatas. Two different verses of Chapter XI further establish the relationship between devatas and Manifest Self, who is referred to as the Lord of the devatas. Arjuna has been shown an image and the effect of seeing that image is that he realizes that the Manifest Self was above the devatas. Arjuna calls the Manifest Self or Paramatma as the Lord of devatas, container of the world.
Having seen Your mouths fearful with teeth like time’s devouring flames, I lose my spatial bearings and find no joy; be gracious, O Lord of devatas, Container of the world! (Gita.XI.25)
You are the first of the devatas and the Ancient Spirit; You are the Supreme Basis of the Universe; You are both the Knower and the Knowable; You are the (transcendent) Beyond and the (immanent) Receptacle (here); the universe is pervaded by You, O One (capable) of Limitless Form. (Gita.XI.38)
Manifest Self has been called as one capable of Limitless Forms, who created the devatas and eventually the human beings were created. Muslims too will have to understand this relationship. Unless the Muslims too come to believe in the presence of the Manifest Self, it will not be possible for them to explain why, when the Absolute God mentioned in Quran has been described as formless and invisible, there are innumerable authentic sayings of Prophet Mohammad which describe the God sitting on a throne in heaven and talk of God having hands and feet, thus attributing a form to the God. Even Prophet Mohammad is described in the Quran to have visited that highest throne, where he was face to face with his creator. If the God is formless and all-pervading, what was the reason for Prophet Mohammad to go to a certain place to come face to face with Him? Quran’s wordings clearly suggest that the meeting was of a physical nature, as certain gardens that he passed through, are also named. Is there a secret here that the Muslims are yet to understand?
Absolute God and Manifest Self (Paramatma) as two distinct identities, as per Quran
Till now, we have seen the concept of trinity or triad, as given in the Gita. We have seen that the one who is doing the talking in Gita is the Manifest Self (Paramatma) who is talking of an Absolute God, towards whom we all must submit ourselves in worship. This Absolute God is referred to in third person. The Manifest Self is the creator of the devatas and the subsequent role of the devatas that is to create the rest of the things and manage the affairs of the universe has been clearly stated. The Manifest Self says that the worship of devatas is the unorthodox way of worship and calls for complete submission to the Manifest Self while worshipping the Absolute God. What does complete submission to the Manifest Self means? This means that the Manifest Self (Paramatma) seeks blind obedience to the rules and regulations framed by it once the person has used his wisdom to identify the true path.
Muslims believe in the presence of one Imperishable, Invisible, Formless, Absolute God referred to as Allah. Quran says that when this Allah wished to create, He said ‘kun’ (let it be) and all the cosmos came into origin. Consequent to this ‘kun’, Quran talks of creation of Adam and says that Adam was created with His own hands. Not much is described of the process of creation that ultimately resulted in the birth of first of the human beings. It is the Upanishads and Puranas which shed light on this intervening phase in greater detail. They talk of the Absolute which is formless (nirakar) creating a form (saakar) or Manifest Self and process further led to creation of Brahma. Brahma divided manifold to create the devatas and consequent to this the first of the human beings got created.
As there is not much information available, Muslims find it difficult to explain why words like ‘creating with one’s own hands’ are described, why there is mention of a God’s seat in front of which all beings will be produced on the Day of Judgment and why Mohammad had to go to a particular place high up in the heavens, on the night of hijrat, to be present in front of His Creator. If the God is Formless and All-Pervading, how can these accounts and many others that have come to us as part of Prophet Mohammad’s sayings, be true. Answer to this apparent paradox lies in believing that there indeed is a Manifest Self of God, which is responsible for framing all the rules, all the obligations, all the rites and rituals of the True Path, so that the created beings come to the path of worship of the Absolute Formless God. It is the Manifest Self from where the creation further proceeded and kept on expanding, first through creation of devatas and then through the creation of the rest of beings, who all are irrevocably linked with the power or light of the devatas.
Accepting this would solve the puzzle to all the questions.
But how can the Muslims, who have been criticizing the concept of triad or trinity for past fourteen hundred years, accept this merely because some unknown writer is saying so? How can the Muslims accept a ‘foreign’ belief, that was until now related to the Hindus and to some extent Christians, without some concrete proofs? We will have to give proofs from Quran itself, the most authentic of Muslim books and one that is undoubtedly divine in origin. This is to be noted that the literary genius of Quran itself is said to be a miracle and no Muslim can ever say that Quran could have a grammatic or syntax error or flawed construction in the sentences. In fact, Quran itself has presented its shortest chapter as challenge to all humanity and said that if anybody is of view that Quran is not divine and was the product of Mohammad’s own imagination, then he is invited to compose one chapter equal in eloquence and literary genius of the shortest chapter of Quran (al-Kausar), merely having five lines.
Let us now see whether the Quran too gives hint of the presence of Absolute God and Manifest Self as two distinct identities where it is desirable to worship the Absolute God and abide by the path laid for us by the Manifest Self (Paramatma) - the name of a power created by the Absolute God that is Supreme.
Let us first study the construction of four ‘short’ surahs (Chapters) of Quran, commonly known as the four ‘quls’.
See the translation of Al-Ikhlas (The Unity) (Pooya/Ali translation and commentary):
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
Say: “He, God, is One (alone).
God, the Needless,
He begetteth not, nor is He Begotten,
And there is none like unto Him.
See Al-Falaq (the Dawn):
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
Say: “I seek refuge in the Lord of the Dawn,
From the evil of what He hath created,
From the evil of the dark night when it overtaketh,
And from the evil of blowing on knots (of the malignant witchcraft,)
And from the evil of the envious when he envieth!”
See An-Nas (The People):
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
Say: “I seek refuge in the Lord of the people!
The King of the people!
The God of the people!
From the evil of the satan (slinking whisperer,)
Who whispereth into the breasts (hearts) of the people,
(Be he) from among the Jinn and the Men.
See Al-Kafirun (The Disbelievers):
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
Say thou (O; Our Apostle Mohammad!): “O’ ye who disbelieve!
I worship not what ye worship!
Nor worship ye Whom I worship!
Nor shall I worship whom ye worship,
Nor will worship ye Whom I worship.
Unto ye be your religion, and unto me my religion.
You are requested to keep an eye on the construction of the sentences. Absolute God is being described. ‘He’ is the One, the Needless, the Lord of the Dawn, Lord of the people, King of the people and God of the people. More importantly, there is a subtle hint in Al-Falaq that He is also the creator of evil. If evil or forces of zulmat (darkness) are the creation of God (whose most manifest proof is Satan), there must be good too created by God (whose greatest champions are the forces of light or noor, the devatas of the Upanishads, Vedas and Gita).
Now see An-Nasr (The Help) of Quran that guarantees of a time when people would enter into the folds of the religion of God in multitudes:
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
When cometh the help of God (Allah) and Victory,
And thou seest people entering the religion of God in multitudes,
Celebrate then the praise of thy Lord and seek thou His protection, (for) verily He is Oft-Turning (merciful)!
We again request you to see the construction of sentences. God (Allah) is described in Third Person as ‘He’ and people are asked to praise ‘Him’ and seek ‘His’ protection. The same was the case with the four ‘quls’, where Allah, the God, was presented in Third Person.
Quran is said to be the composition by God. If that is so, the construction must be in first person. But that is not so. God (Allah) is being described as ‘He’ in Third Person. Even that could be acceptable, considering that Quran was to be revealed on Mohammad and when recited by Mohammad and the rest of humanity, God becomes an entity in Third Person. But what logic will you give to explain the fact that the verses of Quran sometimes speak of God in Third Person and at other times talk of the creator in First Person with sentences like ‘We sent the messengers’, ‘We created Adam’ and so on.
See Al-Kausar (The Abundance of Good)
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
Verily We have given thee (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!) The ‘Kausar’ (Abundance).
So pray thou unto thy Lord! And offer sacrifice
Verily, thy enemy shall be the one cut off (in his progeny).
Can there be error in the work of God? Surely, no! Can God be blamed for forgetfulness? Surely, no! You cannot say that owing to the fact that there are several thousands verses, God forgot that He talked in Third Person in the earlier verse and used First Person at another instance. As you proceed with reading you will find that there are cases where First Person and Third Person have been used in one sentence alone. For instance, verses like ‘We created you so that you worship Him (Allah)’ and many other similar verses are there which prove our logic that the Manifest Self created Adam and the rest of beings and also framed the rules of the Straight Path, sent Messengers and revealed books like Quran and others, so that greater number of people come to the worship of God. Naturally, the forces of zulmat, also creation of God, are constantly working to lead mankind away from the worship of God, as has been said in Quran itself in the dialogue between Satan and God, and the role of the Manifest Self is to show the way to obedience and worship. Cognizing this relationship between man and his self with the Manifest Self and further the relationship of Manifest Self with the Absolute God and then acting in right earnest, refraining from wrong, elevates a person to an extent that his self becomes one with the Manifest Self. That level of spirituality is salvation or moksha or nijaat.
As you see more examples, you will find that there is a definite pattern in Quran as regards to the use of First Person and Third Person.
Surah Al-Bayyinah (The Clear Evidence) refers to the God in Third Person and even says that there will be a time when Clear Evidence will come and people who were divided on the basis of the content of the Book - the Purified Scripture – and then those who will disbelieve will be destined for a great punishment.
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
Those who disbelieved from among the people of the Book and the polytheists could not have separated themselves (from the falsehood) until came unto them the Clear Evidence,
(In the) Apostle from God reciting (unto them) the Purified Scripture,
Wherein are the decrees (correct and) strong.
Nor were divided those who were given the Book but after had come unto them the Clear Evidence.
Yet was not enjoined on them but that they should worship God (alone) in perfect sincerity, in religion (only) unto Him (Allah), and that they give away the poor-rate, and that, is the religion (correct and) strong.
Verily those who disbelieve from among the people of the Book and the polytheists shall be in the fire of hell, to abide therein. And it is they who are the worst of creatures.
Verily, those who believe and do good deeds, it is they who are the best of creatures.
Their recompense unto their Lord shall be gardens everlasting, ‘neath which flow rivers, to abide therein for ever. Well pleased is God with them and they are well-pleased with Him; That is for him who feareth his Lord.
See how God (Allah) is being talked about in Third Person. ‘Unto Him’ one should focus worship, God (Allah in Third Person) is please with such people and so on. Now see Al-Qadr (the Grandeur)
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
Verily, We sent it (The Quran) down in the Night of ‘Qadr’!
What can make thee know what the Night of ‘Qadr’ is?
The Night of ‘Qadr’ is better than a thousand month!
The Angels and the Spirit descend therein by the permission of their Lord, with (decrees) of all affairs
Peace is (the whole Night)! Till the breaking of the dawn!
‘We’ and not ‘He’ sent the Quran so that people turn towards worship of Him – the Allah. ‘We’ is the Manifest Self of God, creation of highest level of none else but God, one that is the creator of rest of creation including the human beings.
A very interesting example is Al-Alaq (The Clot) which refers to the God in Third Person all through but when talking of the disobedient, it says ‘We shall surely drag him by the forelock’, thereby confirming that the Manifest Self will give punishment to those who do not worship the Absolute God.
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
Read thou! (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!) In the name of thy Lord [Third Person] Who created (Every thing in the Universe)
He [Third Person] created man from a clot!
Recite (Thou O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!) And thy Lord [Third Person] is the Most Honourable!
(He) Who [Third Person] taught (to write) with the Pen,
(He) taught man what he knew not!
Nay! Verily man is wont to rebel!
As he deemeth himself needless!
Verily unto thy Lord (alone) [Third Person] is the return!
Hast thou seen the man who forbiddeth?
A servant when he prayeth?
Hast thou seen if he were rightly guided?
Or enjoined piety?
Hast thou seen if he belieth the Truth and turneth (his) back?
Knowest he not that God [Third Person] seeth?
Nay! (let him beware!) if he desisteth not, We [First Person] shall surely drag him by the forelock!
Isn’t it clear? He is the Lord and if you belies the Truth We will drag you by the forelock. The message is clear and visible.
Another clear examble is At-Tin (The Fig), where ‘We’ created the man and ‘God (Allah)’ in Third Person is the judge of all. There is a Upanishad which says that the Manifest Self further created more beings because it wanted that there should be greater number of people worshiping the Lord of the Manfiest Self – the Absolute God.
In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful
By the Fig and the Olive!
By the
And by this City (declared) Inviolate!
Indeed We [First Person] created man in the best structure.
Then We [First Person] reverted him to the lowest of the low,
Save those who believe and do good deeds, for them shall be a recompense incessant.
(O’ man!) What then can make thee belie after this the Final Judgment?
What! Is not God [Third Person] the Judge of the judges?
God is said to be the Judge of the judges. And the talk is of Final Judgment. Is it not clear that judges on the day of Final Judgment will be certain beings other than God and God is the judge of those judges?
Upanishads have said clearly that the creation proceeded from the Manifest Self and the God became the Creator of all because He is the creator of the Manifest Self itself. It is the Manifest Self who created man in the best structure but reverted those to the lowest of the low who belied and did wrong deeds. It is the Manifest Self which will give the final verdict on the day of Judgment.
Surah (Chapter) after Surah (Chapter), we can go on citing it in the Quran. What’s more, at all times the worship is upheld of God in Third Person where as wherever sending the Messengers, giving the punishment or similar things are mentioned, First Person is used. Yes, there are times when creation is talked about in first person and also in third person on different occasions. We have already given the reason for this.
Let us see whether the same pattern exists in longer surahs of Quran as well. We begin with Surah Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage). The surah begins with referring to God in Third Person by saying “O’ ye People! Fear ye your Lord! Verily, the quake of the Hour (of Doom) is a thing tremendous!” But in the fifth verse itself, First Person is used when it is said: “O’ people! If ye be in doubt about (your) rising again (resurrection), then (reflect ye that) verily We created you from dust, then from sperm, then from a clot, then from a lump of flesh, formed and (sometimes) part unformed that we may manifest (our power) unto you, and We cause to stay in the womb what We will until an appointed term, then We bring ye forth as babes, then (foster you) that ye reach your maturity; and of you is he who is caused ot die, and of you is he who is brought back to the feeblesh (state of) old age that he knoweth not aught after knowing (much), and ye behold the earth dried, dead, but when send We down on it water, it is stirred (to life) and swelleth up and produceth every kind of attractive herbage (in pairs).” And in the next verse itself (verse 6), God is again mentioned in Third Person, when it is said: “This is because Verily God, He is the Reality, and because verily He giveth life unto the dead, and because verily He, over all things hath power.”
Verse 7 and 8 talks of God in Third Person but verse 9 again talks in First Person:
7:
And that the Hour (of Resurrection) is coming there is no doubt therein and that God will raise up those in the graves
8:
And among the people there is he who disputeth about God without knowledge and without any guidance and without any enlightening book,
Verse 9 is even more important as it refers to God in Third Person and also talks of ‘We’ in First Person:
Turn away haughtily that he may beguile (others) from the way of God; For him in this world is disgrace and We shall make him taste on the Day of Judgment the punishment of the burning (Hell fire).
And returns to God in Third Person in verse 10:
(And unto him will be said): “This is for what sent before thy two hands, and that (verily) God is not unjust to His servants.”
Likewise see verses 14 and 16:
14:
Verily God will admit those who believe and do good deeds, into gardens ‘neath which flow rivers; Verily God doeth what He intendeth.
16:
And thus have We sent it down, as signs manifest, and that verily God guideth whomsoever He intendeth.
Here too, first person and third person have been used in the same verse. Manifest Self sends down manifest signs on earth for guidance of mankind. They may be in form of book or revered men.
Also see verses 23 to 26 which start with talking about God in Third Person and when the subject came of sending Prophets or guiding them or making of the Mosque on earth, First Person is used.
23:
Verily, God will admit those who believe and do good deeds, into gardens ‘neath which flow rivers, adorned shall they be therein with bracelets of gold and with pearls; and their raiment therein shall be of silk.
24:
For they (in this life) are guided unto goodly words, and they are guided unto the path of the Praised One.
25:
Verily, those who disbelieve and obstruct (people) from the way of God and from the Sacred Mosque (Masjidil-Haram) which We have made alike; for the dweller therein as well as the stranger; and whoever doth intend to wrong therein unjustly, We will make him taste of a grievous chastisement.
26:
And (remember O; Our Apostle Mohammad!) when We fixed for Abraham the place for the House, (saying): “Associate thou not with Me aught, and cleanse My House for those who make the circuits and stand in prayer, and bow and prostrate themselves (unto Me)”
And verse 31 clearly states that God is One and nothing should be associated with Him:
Being upright for God, not associating (anything) with Him; whosoever associateth with God, is like that which hath fallen from heaven and (a vulture) bird snatched it away or the wind wafted it to a distant abyss.
And 32 says:
That (shall be so); And whoever respecteth the signs of God verily it is (the reflection) of the piety of the hearts.
It has been clearly said that God alone is to be worshipped but His signs should be respected.
When talking of formulating the rituals, First Person is used. See verse 34 and 35:
Unto every people We have prescribed a rite (or devotion) that they may mention the name of God on what He hath provided them of the cattle quadrupeds, (as their sustenance) so your God is One God, so unto Him submit ye (all) yourselves; and thou (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!) give glad tidings unto the humble ones,
Who, when God is mentioned, get thrilled their hearts (with awe for His Glory); and the steadfast on what befalleth them, and the establishers of prayer and of what We have provided them with they spend (benevolently).
Is it not clear again? We provided you with things that you need so that you bow down to the glory of God. Likewise, 36 say that ‘We’ made various things as signs of ‘God’.
And the camels We have made them for you among the signs of God, for you in them is good; so mention the name of God on them (when they are drawn) in rows (to be sacrificed); and when fall they down (sacrificed), on their sides, eat of them and feed the contented (poor ones) and the beggar; thus have We subjugated them unto you that happly ye may give thanks.
Hope you are noting the change from First Person to Third Person and vice versa. See verse 41:
Those, if We establish them in the earth, will establish prayer and pay the poor-rate and enjoin good and forbid evil; and unto God (alone) is the sequel of (all) affairs.
Messengers were sent by the Manifest Self and also wrath sent by it:
42:
And if they belie thee (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad) then indeed have belied before thee the people of Noah and ‘Ad and Thamood (the prophets sent unto them),
45:
So how many of towns We did destroy while they were unjust, and (their walls) have fallen down over their roofs, and (how many a) well abandoned and (even) lofty castles (ruined).
And see 51:
And those who strive to invalidate Our signs they shall be the inmates of the flaming (Hell) fire.
52:
And We sent not before thee (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!) any apostle or prophet, but when he recited (the message) the Satan did cast his recitation (to create error); But annulleth God that which the Satan casteth, then God doth establish His signs; And verily God is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Is it not a clear example?
Now see how the subject returns from Third Person to First Person when taking of prescribing the religious rites and then returns to Third Person.
66:
And He it is who hath brought you to life (for the first time), then He will cause you to die, then bring you to life (again); Verily man is ungrateful.
67:
Unto every people have We prescribed the rites of devotion which they observe, so they should dispute not with theee about the affair, and call thou unto thy Lord; Verily, thou art on the Right way.
68:
And if they dispute with thee, say thou: “God knoweth best what ye do.”
Let us see another Chapter (Ash-Shuara). Verse 4 says:
If We will, We can send down upon them from the heaven a sign that their necks get bent unto it.
And the very next verses (5 to 9) says:
And there cometh not unto them of a reminder from the Beneficient (God) [Third Person] afresh, save they, from it, turn aside.
And indeed they belied it: but soon shall come unto them the tidings of what they mock (at).
What! See they not unto the earth, how many of every noble kind We [First Person] have caused to grow in it?
Verily in that there is a sign; but most of them believe not.
Verily thy Lord, [Third Person], certainly is He [Third Person] the Al-Mighty, the All-Merciful.
The fact that revelations to Prophets were given by the Manifest Self is said in verse 52:
And revealed We unto Moses (saying): “Go thou forth with My servants by night, for verily ye will be pursued.”
And even punishment is given by the Manifest Self. See verse 57-59:
So We turned them out of the gardens and the springs,
And treasures and goodly dwelling,
Thus (did We punish them) and We made the children of
Now see 63-68:
Then revealed We unto Moses saying: “Strike thou the sea with thy staff”; then it clave asunder and each part (of the water stood) like a huge mountain.
Then We drew near the others
And saved We Moses and those with him all of them.
Then We drowned the others.
Verily in this is a sure sign; but most of them believe not.
And verily thy Lord, certainly He [Third Person] is the All-Mighty, the All-Merciful.
How the Manifest Self has at all times remained engaged in leading us to the worship of God is apparent in the aforementioned example.
Even Noah was made the Prophet by this Manifest Self. Verse 119-122:
So We delivered him (Noah) and those with him in the laden
Then drowned We the rest afterwards.
Verily in this is a sign; but most of them believe not.
Verily thy Lord, certainly He is the All-Mighty, the All-Merciful.
Even Hud was the Prophet from the same source. Verse 138-140 say:
And We are not those who would be punished
So they belied him (Hud), then We destroyed them; Verily in this is a sign; but most of htem believe not.
And verily thy Lord, certainly He is the All-Mighty, the All-Merciful.
Deliverance to
So, We did deliver him (
172:
Then We destroyed the others.
173:
And We showered down, upon them, and evil was the rain on those (who were) warned (but heeded not).
174:
Verily in this is a sign, but most of them believe not.
175:
And verily thy Lord, certainly He is the All-Mighty, the All-Merciful.
If you recall,
Even Spirit was sent down by the Manifest Self. Verse 198-202 say:
And if We had sent it (the spirit) down unto any of the outlanders,
(And) then had he recited it unto them, they would have believed not in it.
Thus We caused it passing into the hearts of the guilty (ones).
They will believe not in it till they see the grievous chastisement,
And it shall come upon them of a sudden, while they perceive not,
That none of the chastisement and punishment was without reason is given in 208-213:
We destroyed not any town but it had its warners,
To Remind (them); and never are We unjust.
And came not with it, the devils,.
It behoveth them not, nor they can do it.
Verily they, (even) from hearing it, are far removed.
So call thou not with God another god, lest thou be of the chastised ones.
The Manifest Self, doing the talking with 'We' is furious at people who identify others with 'God'.
The word devata is derived from ‘divya’ or light, which means the same as 'nur' or 'noor'. There is a chapter called An-Nur (The Light) in Quran. Let us see what it says. It begins with the book being sent down by the Manifest Self. Verse 1 says:
(This) ‘Sura which WE have sent down, and which We have ordained; and We have sent down therein clear signs, that ye may take heed.
Verse 10 returns to God in Third Person:
And had it not been God’s grace upon you and His mercy – and that God is Oft-Returning, All-Wise (ye had been ruined indeed).
And verse 34 says:
And indeed sent We down unto you signs descriptive and an instance from those who have passed away before you, and an admonition unto the pious ones.
And 42 says:
God’s is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and unto God is the ultimate return.
And see 46 as proof of our claim, which talks of both First Person and Third Person and even confirms that the signs of God will come down from the heavens:
Indeed We have sent down signs explanatory; and God guideth whomsoever He willeth unto the right way.
Gita says that to an extent the Manifest Self too can be worshipped. But cites the worship of the Absolute as the best of worships. The same is said in verse 55:
God hath promised unto those of you who believe and do good deeds that He will certainly appoint them successors in the earth as He appointed successors those before them, and that certainly He shall establish for them their religion which He hath chosen for them, and that certainly He will, after their fear, in exchange give them security; They shall worship Me; and associating not with Me aught (anything); and whosoever disbelieveth after this, these! They are the wicked ones.
And the chapter ends with talking of God’s kingdom, telling to those who worship the Manifest Self in clear words that everything belongs to God. See verse 64:
Beware! Verily God’s is whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth; Knoweth He indeed your state; and on the day on which they are returned unto Him, then He will inform them of what they did; and God of everything is well aware.
These are the words of the Manifest Self, which revealed the Quran.
Before we sign off on this chapter, let us see a few more examples to further understand the real role of Absolute God and the Manifest Self.
The very first lines of Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) tells that the book is meant to serve as a guide for all and clarifies that ‘We’ the Manifest Self has revealed it.
This is the Book, there is no doubt in it, (being the Word of God) (it is) a guidance for the pious, (ones)
Who believe in the unseen and establish the prayers and of what We have provided them with, they give (in the way of their Lord),
And who believe in that which hath been sent down unto thee (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad) and that which hath been sent down (unto the other apostles) before thee, and of the hereafter they are sure
These are the ones on the guidance from their Lord, and these are the ones who shall be the successful ones.
Verily (as for) those who disbelieve, alike is it for them, thou warneth them or warneth them not; (for) they will not believe.
God hath sealed up their hearts and their hearing and upon their sight is a covering; and for them is a great chastisement.
See how subject starts with ‘We’ the First Person and talks of Lord and God in Third Person.
Now see who else but the Manifest Self is asking all mankind to worship the God in verse 21 onward:
O Mankind! Worship ye (only) your Lord [Third Person], Who created you those before you, happly ye may guard (yourselves against evil),
Who made the earth a bed (resting place) for you and the sky a structure and causeth water to descend from heaven and thereby produceth fruits for your sustenance; set ye not therefore equals to God [Third Person] while ye already know/
If ye be in doubt about what We [First Person] have sent down unto Our [First Person] Servant (Mohammad) produce ye then a surah (chapter) like unto it and call ye your witnesses other than God [Third Person], if ye be truthful.
If just words like ‘God’ had been used in Third Person, you could have said that it is the God who is talking about Himself and using the word ‘God’ but what logic will you give when words like ‘He’ are used.
In reation of Adam though, Manifest Self is clearly stating the conversation of God with Adam, thereby confirming that God is not just a mute spectator in seeing Manifest Self do its job. You have seen earlier that it was said that He was the judge of the judges on the Day of Judgment. See verse 30 onwards:
(Recollect O’ Our Apostle Mohammad) When said thy Lord unto the angels: ‘Verily I (intend to) appoint a vicegerent in the earth’ they said, “Wilt Thou (O’ our Lord!) appoint therein one who will cause mischief and shed blood, while we celebrate by Thy praise and hallow Thee alone?” Said (the Lord to the angels) “Verily, I know what ye know not.”
And He taught Adam the Names, all of them, and then set them unto the angels and said, “Declare ye unto Me the names of these if ye be truthful.”
They said: “Glory be to Thee (O’ Lord!) we have no knowledge save what Thou hast taught us; Verily, Thou, Thou (alone) art the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
Said He “O’ Adam! Inform thou unto them their names,” and when he had informed unto them their name; Said (the Lord): “Said I not unto you that verily, I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth and know that which ye declare and that which ye conceal?”
These verses are very important. God said to the angels that if they are truthful then recount the names. The angels were not able to recount the names, thus proving that they were not truthful to the level of perfection. At another instance, God asked all of us in Quran to ‘be with the Truthful ones’. If angels are not truthful, who are those who are truthful? This open question is also for those Muslims who say that it is the angels who are meant when ‘Noor’ is being talked about. Not only are they ignoring the various sayings of Prophet Mohammad calling himself as first of the Noor, but also refuting God’s verdict in the sense that even Adam was proved to be more truthful than the angels, lest alone Prophet Mohammad.
Now see verse 72:
And remember when ye slew a man and yourselves disputed about it; God [Third Person] was to bring forth (to light) what ye did hide. (Wherefore) We [First Person] said, “ye strike him with a part of it; (of the cow); “Thus God [Third Person] bringeth the dead to life and showeth to you His signs, so that ye may understand.
Did you understand what is being revealed? Fact is that the word of God has been altered and misinterpreted deliberately in the past and Quran is witness to it. Today, we have ceased to use our brains to sieve out truth from falsehood. See verse 75:
Do ye (O’ believers in God) then hope, that they will believe in you? While a party of them used to hear the word of God and then (knowingly) altered it after they had understood it and they know (This).
Even the prophets of Bani Israels were sent by this Manifest Self, thereby confirming that the original Christianity and Jewism minus deviations and misinterpretations, too is from the same source. See verse 83:
And remember, when we made a covenant with the children of Israel (saying), “Ye shall not worship but God; and (shall do) good to parents and kindred and to the orphans and the needy and speak kindly unto a 11 men and establish the prayer and pay the poor rate;” Then ye turn back save a few of you and (still) ye backslide.
Even the books that were given to Moses and Jesus were from the Manifest Self. See verse 87, which confirms that all the Messengers were from the same source:
And most certainly We gave Moses the scripture and We caused him to be succeeded with apostles; We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear evidences and aided him with the Holy Spirit. What! (and yet) whenever (thereafter) an apostle came unto you with that which your selves desird not, swelled ye with pride, some (of the apostles) ye belied (as imposters) and some ye slew.
True that at places these books are also referred to as the Books from God, but they are truly so because the Manifest Self is nothing but the manifest power of that God and nothing else. It was the Manifest Self which took oaths and made covenants. See verse 93:
And remember when we made a covenant with you and raised the ‘Tur’ above you (saying), “Hold fast by that which We have given you and hearken ye (Our Word) said they, “We have hearkened and disobeyed”; They were made to imbibe (deep) (the love of) the calf into their hearts for their wrong belief; Say (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad), “Vile is that which your belief bideth you if ye be (true) believers”.
See verse 97 onwards:
Say (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad) whoso is an enemy to Gabriel; for, verily it is he who hath brought it unto thy heart by God’s (command)) confirming what had (already) been (revealed) before and guidance and glad tidings to the believers.
Whoso is an enemy to God and His angels and His apostles, and Gabriel and Michael, so verily God is an enemy to the disbelievers.
And verily We sent down unto thee clear signs, but none disbelieveth in them but the perverse.
It shows that even Gabriel and Michael were clear signs from the Manifest Self.
The same pattern of ‘He’, ‘His’, ‘We’ and God in Third Person is visible in verses 105 and 106. At all times where worship is talked about 'God' or 'He' is used:
(O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!) Like not those who disbelieve among the people of the scripture nor the idolators that anything good should be sent unto you from your Lord. But, God chooseth for His (exclusive) Mercy whomsoever He liketh, for God is (the Lord) of Mighty Grace.
Whatever We abrogate of a sign or We bypass it We bring (in its place) one better than it ior its like; Knowest thou not that God over all things is Powerful!
And see what Manifest Self says about those who prevent people from remembering God in mosques, lest alone bring down the mosques in verse 114 onwards:
And who is more unjust than he who preventeth the Mosques of God of His name being remembered therein and striveth to ruin them? It is not (fit) for such (men) to enter them but in fear; for them is disgrace in this world and a greater punishment in the hereafter.
And God’s is the East and the West, therefore whithersoever ye turn ye find the face of God; Verily God is All-Pervading, and All-Knowing.
See verse 124 to find that the designation of Imam is higher than the designation of Messenger or Prophet. Abraham, highest of all the prophets was given the coveted position of Imam when God tested him and found him to be perfect.
And remember when his Lord tried Abraham with certain words then he fulfilled them; He said, “Verily I make thee Imam for mankind;” (Abraham) said “And of my offspring”? He said: “My covenant reacheth not the unjust.
This statement of Quran confirms that the title of Imam was bestowed by God and not by the Manifest Self. We have seen on several occasions earlier that the Manifest Self appointed the Prophets and Messengers. There is a verse in Quran which says that there were certain Prophets with whom even God talked to. This shows that God talked to only those prophets whom he chose out of all that the Manifest Self sent. And of those, there were selected ones who were made the Imams.
Verse 130 confirms that Abraham had been chosen by ‘We’ – the Manifest Self:
And who turneth away from the creed of Abraham but (one) who debaseth his self; And indeed We have chosen him in this world; and verily in the hereafter he is of the righteous ones.
That even the Manifest Self worships the God is said clearly in 138 onwards:
(This is) God’s Colouring and who is better than God in Colouring; while Him (alone) do we worship.
Say thou (unto the people of the Book), “Dispute ye with us about God; whereas He is our Lord and your Lord, and for us are our deeds and for you are your deeds; to Him (alone) we are (exclusively) loyal?”
This confirms that if there were some people who were given exceptional powers and positions, they were because of their deeds, after the God had tested them. Even the Upanishads confirm this on several occasions.
Now see verse 142 onwards:
The fools among men will say, “What hath turned them from their Qiblah towards which they were at (here before); “Say (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!), God’s is the East and the West, He guideth whomsoever He pleaseth to the Right Path.”
And thus have We made you a group of middling stand that ye may be witnesses over mankind and the Prophet be witness over you; And we did not fix the ‘Qiblah’ towards which thou wert at, but that We might distinguish him who followeth the Prophet, from him that turneth back upon his heels; and this was surely a hard thing for any except for those whom God hath guided;
And God would ot make futile your faith (in Him); verily God unto mankind is Affectionate (and) Merciful.
In verse 146, again the subject of Manifest Self giving the scripture to Prophets is being talked about:
Those unto whom We have given the Scripture recognize him (even) as they recognize their own children; but verily some of them do conceal the thruth though they know it.
It is the Truth from thy Lord so be thou not of those who doubt.
Hope the truth is finally out!
In verse 160 of Chapter al-Baqarah too, ‘I’ is used and it is preceded by mention of God [in Third Person] – both in the verse previous to it and after it. Can any Muslim explain why this has been done without resorting to our explanation? Now see verse 159 to 161:
Verily, those that conceal what We have sent of (Our) manifest evidences and guidance, after what We have (so) clearly shown for mankind in the Book, (they are) those that God doth curse them and (also) curse them (all) those who curse (such ones).
Except those who turn (repentant) and amend (themselves) and make manifest (The Truth), these it is unto whom I turn (mercifully) and I am the Oft-returning (to mercy), the All-merciful.
Verily those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, on them shall be the curse of God, and (of) the angels and (of) mankind all together.
If you recall, Krishna said in Gita that those who eat without giving a portion of their food to the devatas is a thief and in verse 172, the Manifest Self says that it is they who have provided food to us and in return we should thank God for that. Note the change of Person as you read.
O ye who believe! Eat of the good things We have provided you with and thank God if Him it is ye worship.
Can there be a better example! However, there are instances in the Quran where scriptures are ascribed to the God. We have already given the reason for this earlier. See verse 174:
Verily, those that conceal that of the Scripture which God hath sent down and barter for a small price, these, they eat nothing but fire into their bellies, and God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection nor will He purify them, and for them there shall be grievous torment.
There is even a place where Manifest Self has used word ‘Me’ for itself though just in the preceding verse it was talking of God in Third Person with words like ‘Him’ used for God. See 185 first and then 186:
The month of Ramadhan that in which was sent down the Quran a Guidance for mankind and Clear Evidence of guidance and Discrimination (for the Right and the Wrong); So whosoever of you witnesseth the month, he shall fast therein; and whosoever is ill or on a journey (he shall fast) the same number of other days; God desireth ease for you and He desireth not for you hardship that ye shall complete the (prescribed) number (of days) and that ye may glorify God for his guiding you and that ye may be thankful (to Him).
And when My servants ask thee about Me, then (say unto them) verily I am nigh; I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he beseecheth unto Me, so let them hearken unto Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.
Note, it has not been said that ‘worship me’. What is being said is ‘believe in Me’ and ‘hearken unto Me’. It has also been clarified that the prayers are answered by the Manifest Self when somebody worships the God and seeks from Him.
There is another point that we wish to highlight. Verse 194 says: “and fear God, and know that God is (always) with the pious ones.”
And 197 say something else “… and whatever good ye do, God knoweth it; so make provision (for your journey) and verily the best provision is piety; and fear Me O ye people of understanding.” We have to fear the Manifest Self. It is that which will bestow punishment to the disbelievers if one does not fulfil what is desired of him by God. It is this reason why in next verse itself (198), God is being talked about in Third Person once again.
It shall be no guilt on your part if ye seek bounty from your Lord (in trade during pilgrimage); then when ye march from Arafat remember God near the Holy Monument, and remember Him as he hath guided you, although ye were surely before this, of those who had gone astray.
Then march ye on from whence the other people march on and seek pardon of God; verily God is Forgiving, Merciful.
Manifest Self is normally responsible for births and deaths but there are times when God Himself orders death for a person. As you read you will find that Upanishads have clearly mentioned that all the created beings will converge back into the power of God towards the end of kalpa, and then God will create once again.
Again right guidance is being given and people are being warned to be aware of Satan in 208 and 209:
O ye who believe! Enter ye all into submission (to God) wholly and follow not the footsteps of Satan; for, verily, he is to you an Open Enemy.
But if ye slip after that which hath come unto you of the clear signs then know ye that God is Mighty, Wise.
See verse 243 as proof of our claim:
Didst thou not see those who went forth from their homes, and they were in thousands, for fear of death; then God said unto them, ‘Die ye!’ (and they died) and thereafter He restored them to life; verily, God is gracious unto them but most men thank (Him) not.
And it is God who returns manifold if someone gives an iota of offering to Him. See verse 245:
Who is he that will lend unto God a fair loan; verily, he will multiply it unto him manifold; for it is God that holdeth and extendeth and unto Him shall ye be returned.
And there can be no better verse to clear all doubts but 252 which says:
These are the signs of God with truth do We rehearse them unto thee (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!); and verily, thou art (one) of (our) apostles.
And 254 confirms that good things are bestowed by the Manifest Self:
O’ ye who believe! Spend (in alms) out of what We have provided you with ere the day cometh wherein there shall be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession; and those who disbelieve they are the unjust.
269 talks about wisdom that God gives to whoever He wills. It is a gift of God but only those who are themselves wise will understand it:
He granteth wisdom to whomsoever He willeth, and he who hath been granted wisdom hath been given abundant good; and none shall mind it save those endowed with wisdom.
And the subject returns to alms and that God knows all about what you give. See verse 270:
And whatever alms ye give or whatever vow ye make, Verily God knoweth it; but for the unjust there shall be no helpers.
And it is God who shows the way. Even Upanishads have said that all guidance and consciousness is from God.
See verse 272:
Not on Thee (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad) is incumbent their guidance, but (nay!) God guideth aright whomsoever He willeth; and whatever good thing ye spend (in charity) shall be from your own selves; and ye give not except seeking the pleasures of God; and whatever ye shall spend of good, shall be rendered back to you (in full) and ye shall not be wronged.
You have seen what the longest of the Quran’s chapters has to say. Now see what one of the widest read of the larger chapters say. See Surah Yasin, which gives in detail the role of Manifest Self and says that even the Manifest Self has confined everything in a Manifesting Imam. Clearly, there is something or some power further down the chain, between the Manifest Self and us. Verse 8 onwards say:
Verily, We have put chains in their necks, and these reach up to their chins, and their heads are forced up stiffed.
And We have to set before them a barrier and behind them a barrier, and We covered them over, so that they see not.
And alike is it unto them if thou warneth them not, for they will not believe.
Verily thou canst warn only him who abideth by the Reminder and feareth the Beneficent (God) unseen; so bear thou unto him the glad tidings of forgiveness and an honourable recompense.
Verily We, (and) We (alone) give life unto the dead, and We write down what they have sent before them and (even) their footprints (which they leave behind them): And everthing have We confined (recorded) into a Manifesting Imam (Guide).
Now see verse 30 onwards:
Alas! The servants (are misled and yet) there cometh not unto them an apostle but they mock at him.
What! See they not how many of the generation We did destroy before them? They will return not unto them.
And assuredly all, gathered together, shall be brought before Us.
The word like ‘Us’ confirms that the Manifest Self comprise of more than one noors.
See further what verse 33 onward say:
And a sign unto them is the dead earth; We give life to it and bring We forth from it grain of which they eat.
And make We therein gardens of date-palms and grapevines, and cause We to flow therein springs,
That they may eat of its fruits, and made it not their hands; What! Will they not then be grateful?
Hallowed is He Who created pairs (of) all things, of what growth the earth, of their selves and of what they know not.
And a sign unto them, is the night, We draw forth from it the day, and lo! They are in the dark,
And the sun travelleth unto a resting-place fixed for it; That is the decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.
And (as for) the moon, We have fixed for it stages till it returneth to be bent like an old palm branch.
It is not (expedient) for the sun that it should overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day; and each (of these luminaries) rotate on in (its peculiar) sphere.
And a sign unto them is that We bear their offspring in the laden
And that We have created for them (the other conveyances) like it, on which ride they.
And if We only will, We can drown them, then there shall not be any one to help them, nor shall they be rescued,
Save (by) mercy from Us and as an enjoyment for yet a awhile.
And when it is said unto them: “Guard ye (yourselves) against what is before you and what is behind you, that ye be treated with mercy.”
And there cometh not unto them any sign from the signs of their Lord but from it turn they away.
And when it is said unto them: “Spend ye fo what God hath provided you with the sustenance,” say those who believe: “What! Shall we feed him whom, if God willeth, He could feed? Ye are not but in a manifest error.”
The very tone of Quran reveals presence of two distinct identities, viz. the Manifest Self (Paramatma) who is talking in first person and the Absolute God who is referred to as Allah in third person. At times, the word ‘rab’ is used, which has been used for the Manifest Self. You have also seen that wherever there is talk of worship and supplication, ‘Allah’ in third person is used and wherever there is talk of sending prophets, showing the way, creation and destruction of mankind, leading the good-doers to heaven and evil ones to hell or formulating the codes of religion, ‘I’ in first person has been used.
This is the true understanding of Quran on the basis of concepts laid down in Gita and other Hindu scriptures. Hindus, who misled by the utterance in first person in Gita, coming as it is apparently from Krishna’s mouth, too need to learn a lesson from Quran. Just as the one who is talking in first person in Quran is the Manifest Self (Paramatma) and not Mohammad and Mohammad was merely the one on whom Quran was revealed and from whose mouth the verses of Quran were known to the rest of the world, Krishna is the medium in human form whose piety and purity elevated his body to the level that the Manifest Self used it for conveying its message.
Let us see Chapter Al-e-Imran verse 18 and 19 which says that God is undoubtedly one and only one and all the rest are creations of that One God. See:
God (Himself) witnessed that there is no god but He, and (so do) the angels and those possessed of knowledge, standing firm for justice; (there is) no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise.
Verily the religion with God is Islam (submission to God’s will); and those whom the Book had been given did not differ but after the knowledge (of the Truth) had come unto them, out of envy among themselves; and whosoever disbelieveth in the signs of God, then, verily, God is quick in reckoning.
Verses 57 and 58 talk in both Third Person and First Person:
But to those who believe and do good deeds, He will pay them in full their recompense; and God loveth not the unjust.
This We recite unto them of the signs and the Wise Reminder.
And subject again returns to God in Third Person in 59 when Jesus’s birth is compared with that of Adam.
Verily, similitude of Jesus with God is as the similitude of Adam; He created him out of dust then said He unto him BE, and he became. The Truth is from Thy Lord, therefore be not thou of those of the doubters.
And just as you have seen God took a special test of Abraham, he even went on to help Mohammad by sending angels. See verses 124:
(Remember O’ Our Apostle Mohammad!) when thou didst say to the believers, “Doth it not suffice you that your Lord should help you with three thousand angels sent down (from heaven)?”
Verse 140 reveals that bad fortunes come because God tests the people through them:
And these days (of varying fortunes) We bring about among men by turns, And that God may know those who have (sincerely) believed; and that He may take witnesses from among you; and God loveth not the unjust.
We said in the beginning that only a fraction of Muslims will enter
Imagine ye (O’ Muslims!) That ye (all) would enter
Let us give verse 195 to further strengthen our case. In this verse, God is being quoted in First Person. The commentators and experts of Arabic too know that it is God who is doing the talking here so they have put inverted commas before and after the text. The fact that they didn’t do so at other places itself is proof of our claim.
So their Lord did respond to them (saying) “I will not suffer the work of any of you that worketh to be lost, be he male or female, the one of you being from the other, they, therefore, who did migrate and were turned out of their homes and suffered in My way and who fought and were slain, I will most certainly blot out their sins from them, and I will most certainly admit them into gardens beneath which flow streams; A reward from God! And God! Verily with Him (only) is the Excellent Reward.
The fact that 198 starts with “But as to those who fear (the wrath of) their Lord, for them are the gardens beneath which flow the rivers, therein shall they abide for ever. Suhc is their reception with God; and whatever is with God is the best for the righteous ones” shows that the subject returns to talking of God in Third Person.
Let us now study Chapter An-Nisa (The Women). Verse 26 says that it is the God’s desire to explain his ordinances. Thus, Manifest Self is merely doing the executive work.
God desireth to explain to you (His Ordinances) and to guide you in the ways of those (gone) before you and to turn (mercifully) unto you; for God is All-knowing, All-Wise.
Verse 30 talks of First and Third Person in the same verse. See:
And whoever shall do this in aggression and injustice, soon shall We cast him into the (Hell) fire; for this is (very) easy for God.
And 31 say:
If ye avoid the great sins which ye are forbidden, We will expiate from you (smaller) misdeeds, and We will admit you (to
The same is the case with verse 37:
Those who are niggardly and bid people niggardliness, and hide away what God of his bounty hath given them; We have prepared for the disbelievers a torment ignominious.
Again same patter is followed in verse 47:
O ye, whom the Scripture hath been given! Believe in what We have sent down confirming what is (already) with you, ere We change their faces (features) and turn them towards their backs, or as We cursed the people of Sabath; and (know ye, that) the Command of God is ever executed.
And see verse 64:
We sent not an Apostle; but to be obeyed by God’s leave; And if they, when they were unjust to themselves (sinned), had only come unto thee and sought pardon of God and the Apostle (also) had asked pardon for them, surely would they have found God oft-returning and the Most Merciful.
And Manifest Self continues to talk in verses 66 onward and confirms its role in guidance towards the Straight Path leading to the Absolute God:
And (even) if We had prescribed for them saying “Kill yourselves or go forth from your dwellings, they would not have done it but a few of them; and if they had done what they were exhorted (to do), it would certainly have been better for them and more efficacious for strengthening (them in faith).
And then We would certainly have given them of Our own accord a great recompense.
And certainly would We have guided them on the Straight Path.
Verse 69 returns to talking about God:
And whoever obeyeth God and the Apostle (Mohammad) these shall be with those, God hath bestowed favours upon them; of the Prophets, and the Truthful, and the Witnesses and the Righteous ones; and excellent are these as companions!
This is the grace from God; and sufficient is God (as the Knower).
Now see verse 74:
Let those then fight in the way of God, who sell the life of this world for the hereafter; and to him who fighteth in the way of God, be he slain or (be he) victorious; We shall grant him a great recompense.
And Manifest Self confirms in 82 that Quran is from God (owing to Manifest Self itself being the God's creation):
Do they not think (carefully) in Quran? And if it had been from any other than God, they would surely have found in it much discrepancy.
And the same is being said in verse 113:
Had it not been God’s grace upon thee and His mercy, a party among them had certainly resolved to lead thee astray; but they shall not lead thee astray but their own selves, and they shall not harm thee of aught; and God hath sent down unto thee the Book and Wisdom, and hath taught thee what thou didst not know; and God’s grace on thee is very great.
The same Chapter, while talking of Moses says again that “We lifted up the Mountain over them at their covenant” and also says that Jesus will be a witness against people of the book on the Day of Resurrection and in verse 174-75 Noor is being talked about with a promise that guidance for the Straight Way will soon come:
O mankind! Indeed hath come unto you (an undeniable) proof from your Lord, and We have sent down unto you a manifest light (noor).
Then as for those who believe in God and hold fast unto Him, soon will He admit them to Mercy from Him and (His) Grace; and guide Them unto Himself (by) the
This noor's relationship with Manifest Self is exactly the relationship that Upanishad's talk of between devatas and Manifest Self; thus confirming that devatas (from root 'divya' or light) are one and the same as 'noor' (meaning light). As you read further, you will find that people even prayed for devatas to come down on earth and here it is being said that the noor was sent down by the Manifest Self.
Let us see Al-Bara’at (The Immunity) which denies that Ezra or Jesus are the sons of God but confirm that the Light (Noor) of God was perfected by none else but God, and it is this that the infidels detest. The talk then moves to Apostle Mohammad and ends with saying that the polytheists detest the guidance and the religion of truth that Mohammad brought, thereby suggesting link between Mohammad and Noor. See verses 30-33:
And say the Jews: “Ezra is the son of God;” and say the Christians: “Messiah is the son of God;” These are the words of their mouths; (In this) they (only) imitate the saying of those who disbelieveth before; God fighteth the; How they turn away!
Take they their divines and monks as (their) lords besides God, and (also) Messiah son of Mary while they were not commanded but that they (should) worship God the Only One; There is no God but He; Pure is He and Exalted is he from what they associate (with Him).
Intend they that they put out the Light of God with (the blow of) their mouths, and disdaineth God save that He perfecteth His Light, though may detest it the infidels.
He it is Who sent His Apostle with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may prevail it over all other religions, though may detest it the polytheists.
This is an invitation to all those Muslims who believe that by Noor the Angels are meant. If that is so, they should explain how the infidels would be able to put out the Noor of God with their mouths, and why the infidels detest when God perfecteth His Light. They should remember that these perfect ones could be those alone who are perfectly truthful, perfectly pure. We have shown earlier that God Himself asked a question from the angels with words saying that if they are truthful, they should give the reply. And the fact that angels could not answer is proof that they are not perfect, as they are not truthful.
See now a few examples from Chapter Al-An’am (The Cattle). The Chapter starts with the praise of God and created heavens and the earth and caused the darkness (zulmat) and the light (noor). It is to be remembered that in Quran wherever night and day are used ‘lail-o-nahar’ has been used. It is unfortunate that while we believe the representatives of zulmat – Satan – to be so powerful, we do not ascribe the same power to those who carried the Noor and as Quran says tried to blow out the Noor. Noor coming down among people is a Sign from God. That is why it is said in verse 4:
There came not unto them any sign from the signs of their Lord but they turned away from it.
And that truth of what they denied and mocked at will be known only later has been said in verse 5:
They have indeed belied the truth when it came to them; therefore very soon the tidings will come (be known) to them of what they mocked at.
And in next verse onward, subject shifts to First Person and how those in the past have been destroyed, how ‘We’ – the Manifest Self who was in the form of Light or Noor causes rain and sends books. See:
See they not how many a generations before them We have destroyed, whom We had established in the earth (to the extent to) which We had not got established you (till now), and We sent the clouds to rain abundantly upon them, and WE made the rivers flow beneath (their dwellings) and yea We destroyed them for their sins and raised up after them another generation.
And had We sent down unto thee a book written on a paper, and they had touched it with their hands, surely those who disbelieved had said, “This is not but obvious sorcery.”
And they say “Why has not an angel been sent down unto him?” And had We sent down an angel the matter would certainly have been decided (once for all) and then they would not have been respited,
And had We made him an Angel, We would have certainly made him a man, and We would certainly have made confused to them what they (now) make confused.
And certainly were mocked (many) apostles before thee but that which they mocked at encompassed the scoffers among them.
All this that the Manifest Self is talking about is the role of the devatas, as per the Upanishads (you will see later). These lines truly indicate that God did not send an Angel and if he had sent an Angel, He would have to send it in the form of man. Noor was sent inside the body of a person only, but this is something about which people try to create confusion.
That Mohammad’s description is there in all the revealed books is confirmed in verse 25:
Those whom We have given the Book recognise him (Mohammad) as they recognise their (own) sons; (yet) those who have lost their selves, they will not believe.
‘Lost their selves’ and hence are unable to recognise the Manifest Self. Did Gita too did not say the same when it said: Identify the Self with the self.
Also, to validate this view of Quran, we will study the Vedas later to see if this claim of Quran is correct and whether Mohammad can actually be identified within the Vedas.
Believers of All the spurious goals are destined for punishment. See verse 22:
And on the day (of Judgment) We shall gather them all together, then We shall say to those who associated others “Where are your associate gods, whom ye used to conject?”
Even Surah An-Naba talks of various things that this Manifest Noor does. See verses 6 onwards:
What! Made We not the earth a wide expanse?
And the mountains as bolts?
And We created you in pairs,
And cause your sleep a rest,
And caused the night a covering,
And caused the day for (your) seeking livelihood,
And We have created above you the seen strong ones,
And We made therein a lamp burning,
And send We down from the clouds water in torrents,
That We may bring forth by it, corn and herbs,
And gardens of thick foliage.
Verily the Day of Decision is a time appointed,
The Day when The Trumpet shall be blown,
And ye shall come forth in (huge) groups,
…. (Verily they) belied Our signs with a (persistent) fabrication.
And everything have We recorded in a book
Taste ye then! And never will We increase for you aught but chastisement.
The Manifest Self has been referred to as Paramatma in Upanishads meaning the Supreme Spirit. And verse 38 clarifies that spirit and angels are two different entities. See:
On the day whereon shall stand the spirit and the angels arranged they shall speak, they shall speak not save he whom the Beneficent God giveth leave, who spoke (only) the Truth.
Again we remind you of the earlier verse which confirmed that the angels were not truthful of the level of perfection that God wishes to see. But there are also those, who comprise the Spirit, who speak the Truth. This is the Manifest Self of God, called Paramatma or (the Chief Spirit) in Vedas and Upanishads and the Noors are emanations from the same Spirit. It was this Spirit about which Jesus too foretold.
Prophet Mohammad said that one who drinks water of Surah Dahr gets cured from diseases and upon reading this Chapter, one goes to Heaven. There are other benefits too. Surely this Chapter must be saying something important. Let us see whether the same relationship of First Person and Third Person is maintained here as well.
Surely did come over Man to pass an occasion of time when he was nothing, mentioned of?
Verily We created man from a (small insignificant) life drop of inter-mingled life germ (of both sexes); in order that We put him to trial, so We endowed him with hearing, seeing!
Verily have We shown him the (Right) Way, be he grateful or ungrateful.
Verily have We prepared for the disbelievers chains, and shackles and a flaming fire!
Verily, the righteous ones shall drink of a cup tempered at the fountain ‘Kafoor’ (Camphor)
The fountain whereof shall drink the servants of God, they shall cause it to flow a described flow
Surah Az-Zumur too talks of Noor in verse 22 when it says:
What! Is he whose breast (heart) God hath opened for Islam then he followeth the Light (Noor) from God (like unto hardhearted one)? Nay! Woe unto those whose hearts are hard against the remembrance ofGod; those are in a clear error.
Verse 23 says:
God hath sent down the best recital, a Book consistent (in its parts) with iteration, at which do shudder the skins of those who fear their Lord, then get softened their skins and their hearts unto the remembrance of God. This is God’s guidance, guideth He with it whomsoever he willeth; and whosoever alloweth God to stray, for him there is no guide.
And Chapter An-Najm verse 23 too confirms that guidance has come from God:
And indeed hath come unto them from their Lord the right guidance.
That guidance came in the form of Noor who sent books and came to dwell in human bodies is something that needs to be understood.
Now see verse 29 onwards:
Therefore turn thou aide from him who turneth his back against Our reminder, and desireth not anything but the life of this world;
That is the (last) reach of their knowledge; Verily, Thy Lord knoweth best of him who is astray from His path and He knoweth best of him who is guided aright.
And God’s is whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, that He may recompense those who do evil for what they did, and that He may recompense those who do good, with what is best.
Those who do avoid the great ones of the sin and shameful deeds save accidentally verily, thy Lord is (the Lord of) vast forgiveness: He knoweth best about you when He raised you from the earth and when ye are embryos in the wombs of your mother; so assert ye not the purity of your selves; He knoweth best of him who guardeth (himself against evil).
Surah Mudassir (The Covered One) is one about which Prophet talked of great benefits upon reciting it.
A very interesting example that supports our view perfectly is verse 11 onwards which is talking of the Day of Judgment and fate of disbelievers.
Leave Me (to deal with) him whom I created (bare and) alone!
And unto whom I granted wealth in abundance!
And sons abiding in his presence!
And unto whom I made (life) adjustedly smooth!
And yet desireth he that I should further add!
Never (it shall be)! For unto Our signs he was a foe.
Soon will I make him afflicted of a severe punishment.
Verily, he thought and determined,
Again may be he ruined how he determined!
Then looked he around!
Then frowned he and scowled!
Then turned he his back and swelled in pride!
Then said he: “this is naught but sorcery from of old!”
“This is naught but the word of a human being!”
Soon will I cast him into hell!
And what will make him realize what hell is?
Is leaveth not nor it spareth (aught)
It shrivelleth a human body!
Above it (guardians) are ninetine!
We have made not the guardians of the fire other than angels, and We have made not the number save as a trial for those who disbelieve, that certain may be those who have been given the book, and may increase those who believe in (their) faith, and may doubt not those who have been given the book and the believers, and that say those in whose hearts is a distress and the disbelievers: “What meaneth God by this similitude?” Thus doth God alloweth to stray whomsoever he willeth, and guideth He whom He willeth, And knoweth not (any one) the hosts of God save He Himself; and this is naught but a reminder unto mankind.
The same Chapter also talks of people of the Right hand (who do good deeds) and people of the Left hand (who commit sins). See verse 32 onwards:
Nay! By the moon!
And by the night when it retreateth!
And by the moon when it brighteneth!
Verily it (the Hell) is one of the grievous woes?
A warning (it is) unto mankind!
Unto him among you who desireth to go forward (in goodness) or to remain behind.
Every soul, for what it earned, is held in pledge!
Save the people of the Right hand.
In gardens shall they be, asking each other,
About the guilty ones,
‘What hath brought you into the hell!”
They shall say: “We were not of those who offered the regular prayers (to God)!
And we used not to feed the poor!
And used we to take vanities with the vain talkers!
And used we to belie the Day of Judgment!
Till came upon us the Certainty (death)!
So, shall avail them not the intercession of the intercessors!
What hath happened then (unto them) that they turn aside from the warning,
And if they were asses affrighted,
Fleeing from a lion,
Nay! But willeth everyone of them that he may be given (the heavenly book) in open pages spread out,
Nay! But they fear not the hereafter!
Nay! Verily it is a Reminder!
So whosoever willeth may mind it,
They will mind it not unless God willeth; worthy is he to be feared. And worthy is he to see refuge to.
Let us end with another similar description from Chapter Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments of Gold), which clearly state that even those who are calling themselves ‘We’ will have to return to their God and hence it is wrong to assign a partnership of these with ‘We’ with God as they are just the servants. See for yourself (verse 3 onwards:
Verily, We have made it an Arabic Quran that ye may understand.
And verily it is in the Mother-Book (which is) with Us, Most Exalted (it is), full of Wisdom.
What! Shall We then turn away from you the Reminder wholly for ye are a person extravagant?
And how many did We send of Our prophets among those gone before.
And there came not unto them a prophet but at him they used to mock.
Then We did destroy those mightier than these in strength, and hath gone (such) examples among those gone before.
And if thou shouldst ask them: “Who created the heaven and the earth?” Certainly would they say: “Created them the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing,
He Who made for you the earth (as) a cradle and hath made therein ways for you that ye might be guided aright.
And He Who sendeth down water from the heavens in a measure; then raise We with it a county which is dead (dried), even so shall ye be brought forth (from your graves on the Day of Resurrection).
And He who created pairs in all things and made for you of the ships and the cattle that ye may ride on,
That ye may mount on their backs, then remember ye the bounty of your Lord, and when ye mount on it and say ye: Hallowed is He Who subjected this unto us, and we (by ourselves) were not able to attain this,”
And verily We, unto our Lord, shall return,
And (yet) they assign unto (some) of His servants a partnership with Him; Verily man is an open ingrate!
It has been clearly said that the Manifest Self too has to return to its Lord and it is sinful for man to assign partnership of the Manifest Self with God. In fact, the Manifest Self has called itself the servant of God. Just ponder, where do we stand?
There are several verses in this Chapter which confirm our view to the fullest. Verse 25 says:
So We did retribute them and behold thou how was the end of those who belied (our apostles).
Verse 32 still confirms that the Manifest Self enjoys a very high position:
“What! Do they distribute the mercy of Thy Lord? (It is) We Who did distribute among them (even) their livelihood in the life of this world, and We did raise some of them above the others in rank, so that some of them may take the others in subjection; and the mercy of thy Lord is better than whatever they hoard.
It is clearly said that ‘We’ distribute the mercy of ‘Thy Lord’. Unfortunately, we couldn’t understand!
Verse 33-35 say:
And were it not that all people had been of one (evil) way of life, We would certainly have provided those who disbelieve in the Beneficent God, (To make) for their houses, roofs of silver and the stairs on which they ascend,
And the doors of their houses, and the couches on which they recline,
And ornaments of gold; But all these are only the provisions of the life of this world;
And the hereafter unto thy Lord is for the pious ones.
And verse 36 says:
And whosoever is blinded against the remembrance of the Beneficent (God), for him We appoint a satan and he shall be his close companion.
Manifest Self is even powerful over Satan; this gives credence to our belief that even Satan has been created by the Manifest Self for a particular purpose. If there would have been no Satan, there would have been no Straight Path and no test for us all. Noor (or devatas) and Satan are torchbearers of two opposite paths.
Now see verse 37 onwards:
And verily (the satans) turn them away from the (right) path, and deem they that they are guided aright.
Until when cometh he unto Us, he would say: “(O’ Satan!) would that between me and thee there were the distance of two Easts!” (What) an evil companion is (Satan)
And never shall it profit you on this day, since ye did injustice, that ye be partners in the chastisement.
What! Canst thou then make the deaf hear or guide the blind and him who is manifestly astray?
Even if We take thee away then verily shall We exact retribution from them,
Or We shall show thee that which We have promised them for verily We are over them (fully) Powerful.
Therefore, hold thou fast what hath been revealed unto thee, Verily, thou art on the Right Path.
Verse 45 is even more clear:
And ask thou those of Our apostles We sent before thee: Did We appoint besides the Beneficent God any gods to be worshipped?
Can there be a better example. Manifest Self sent the prophets and makes it clear that it didn’t appoint any other god but the Beneficent God. But people got astray?
Moses too was a Prophet of the same institution. Verse 46 says:
And indeed sent We Moses with Our signs, unto Pharaoh and his chiefs, and said he: “Verily I am the apostle of the Lord of the worlds.”
Even the Pharaoh and his forces were drowned by the same Self or Paramatma. Verse 55-56 say:
And when they had angered Us, We did retribute them, so did We drown them all together,
And We made them a precedent and an example for the later generations.
Jesus too was from the same source. See verse 57:
And when was sent forth (Jesus) son of Mary as an instance (of Our power), lo! Thy people laughed out (in ridicule).
And 59 says:
None was he but a servant (of Ours), bestowed We on him (Our) favour (giving him the miracles): and We made him an example (of Our power) unto children of
It is even confirmed that Jesus was not a son of God and Mohammad is the first of the worshippers owing to his creation prior to all else (We are talking of Mohammad’s noor). Verse 81 says:
Say (O’ Our Apostle Mohammad): “If there be for the Beneficent God any son, I am the first of the worshipers (to Him).”
And subject returns to God in 84:
And He it is Who is God in the heavens and God in the earth; and He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.
Even Chapter Ad-Dukhan (The Smoke) propagates the same relationship. Verse 3 onwards says:
Verily We sent it down on a Blessed Night – verily We have ever been warning –
Therein are made distinct all wise affairs,
(Becoming) a command from unto Us;
Verily, We are the senders (of mercy and peace).
A mercy from Thy Lord; Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
The Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them two, if ye be sure in faith.
There is no god but He; He giveth life and causeth death; your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of yore.
Al-Jasiyah (The Kneeling) even confirms that those meant by ‘We’ were merely reciting the signs of God and that these ‘signs’ have been there both in the heaven and on earth. See verse 3 onwards:
Verily in the heavens and the earth are Signs for the believers.
And in your (own) creation, and what He scattered in the earth, of the animals, are signs for a people sure in faith,
And in the alteration of the night and the day, and what God sendeth down from heaven, of the sustenance, and (in His) giving life thereby to the earth after its death, and (in) the changing of the winds, are signs for a people who understand.
These are the signs of God recite We unto thee with truth. Then in what (other) argument after (rejecting) God and His signs, would they believe.
See verse 9-13:
And when he cometh to know any of Our signs he taketh it in jest; These shall have a disgracing chastisement.
Behind them is hell, and shall avail them not aught of what they did earn, nor those whom they took as guardians besides God, and for them shall be a grievous chastisement.
This (Quran) is guidance, and those who disbelieve in the signs of their lord, for them shall be the most painful chastisement.
God is He Who made subservient unto you the sea that may traverse the ships therein by His command, and that ye may seek of His grace and that ye may be thankful.
And made subservient unto you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, all, on His behalf: Verily in this are signs for people who reflect.
Unfortunately, we have ceased to reflect.
Verse 20 says:
These are proofs for the people and a guidance and a mercy unto a people who are sure in faith.
And the Chapter ends with telling the sum total of all endeavours:
Therefore, God’s (alone) is the praise, the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the earth, the Lord of the worlds.
And His (only) is greatness in the heavens and the earth; and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
Absolute God, Manifest Self and what else comprise Trinity?
It is clear till now that the Absolute, Imperishable and Invisible God created a Manifest Self (Paramatma), which took the task of further creation. These, we have concluded are the two stages of the Hindu concept of trinity. We have also seen that Quran too gives proofs of the presence of Absolute God and Manifest Self distinctly. Upanishads categorically state that all our worship, sacrifices, austerities and good work is meaningless if we are unable to cognize the Imperishable Absolute God. Verse 12 from Isa Upanishad categorically states that those who worship the Unmanifest alone are in darkness and those who worship the Manifest alone are in greater darkness, further confirming the view we derived from Gita.
Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad says:
III.8.10: Whoever, O Gargi, in this world, without knowing this Imperishable performs sacrifices, worships, performs austerities for a thousand years, his work will have no end; whosoever O Gargi, without knowledge of this Imperishable departs from this world, is pitiable. But, O Gargi, he who knowing the Imperishable departs from this world is a Brahmana.’
‘Knowing the Imperishable God’ is the sole basis on which salvation (nirvana) will be granted. The aforementioned verse gives the true definition of Brahmana as well and clarifies that Brahmana is not a caste based on birth in a certain family. Any person, who departs from this world, knowing the Imperishable, is referred to as Brahmana. And we will see, as we progress reading, that it is the Manifest Self (Paramatma) that has taken up the task of leading the entire creation towards the worship of One Imperishable and Absolute God?
Now see what II.1.20 of Mundaka Upanishad says:
As a spider moves along the thread, as small sparks come forth from the fire, even so from this Self come forth all worlds, all divinities, all beings. Its secret meaning is the truth of truth. Vital breaths are the truth and their truth is it (that has been told here).
It has been clarified here that the Manifest Self (Paramatma) took the task of creation further, as you have seen in the verses from Gita a little earlier in this BOOK. All worlds, all divinities, all beings emanate from this Manifest Self. This knowledge is regarded as extremely important and the secret meaning of this utterance is termed as the truth of the truth.
If so much of importance is attached to this knowledge, even termed as having a secret meaning, it is obvious that solution to our quest lies somewhere here only. Our study has revealed that the divinities described in the previously mentioned verse of Mundaka Upanishad comprise the third stage of this triad. These divinities serve as a link between the God and us. Guardians of faith, possessors of all knowledge and rulers of our organs of sense and action, these Divine Beings ceaselessly strive to lead us towards the right path. It is they who interact with the human beings on behalf of God, who whether they are in heaven or whether they take birth as humans on earth work to show us the way and to guide mankind with the sole aim that they would follow their path to reach God. All the subsequent creations, including the human beings, are inseparably linked with these Divine Beings (referred to as devatas); even our self (aatma or rooh in Arabic) is inseparably linked with the Manifest Self (Paramatma).
Certain Upanishads describe these devatas as rulers of our organs of sense and action. Others state that a part of our self, that is ceaselessly trying to lead us to the right path, is an extension of the Self of these Divine Beings. Consciousness is courtesy them. We are related to these beings to such a great extent that life is meaningless without them; this is something that is also confirmed by the Gita time and again, as you will see in our commentary of Gita. In fact, Gita states that a person who is unable to cognize this Self within his self is dead even when he breathes and one who is aware of this relationship is alive, even when he is physically dead.
We will see later (through Brhad-aranyaka and Paingala Upanishad) how the Manifest Self of God created a power called Brahma, which is nothing but a manifest power, perhaps in the form of illuminating light (as the word devata is derived from root ‘div’ or light), divided manifold to create the Divine Beings (the devatas), who owing to their direct creation from the Manifest Self, obtained most of the characteristics of the Creator. Also, it has been said that the Manifest Self remained unchanged though Brahma or one light remained no more after creation of the devatas after manifold divisions.It is also said that all the devatas were alike, exactly similar to each other and also exactly similar to Brahma - the one power from which they all came into existence.
The fact that one Brahma got divided to create several Divine Beings, who remained complete as the original Self and retained all the characteristics of the Original Self, is described in the Isa Upanishad in the following manner:
That is full; this is full. The full comes out of the full. Taking the full from the full the full itself remains Aum, peace, peace, peace.
Rest of the Isa Upanishad too deals with the subject of the Manifest Self, also referred to as Self.
It (I.4) says:
(The Spirit or Manifest Self) is unmoving, one, swifter than the mind. The senses do not reach It as It is ever ahead of them. Though Itself standing still It outstrips those who run. In It the all-pervading air supports the activities of beings.
I.5. It moves and It moves not; It is far and It is near; It is within all This and It is also outside all This.
Naturally, it is not easy to comprehend this complex relationship; that is why this knowledge has been termed as secret and the truth of truth. Even syllable Aum is somehow related to this knowledge; the true purport and meaning of the syllable Aum has been forgotten though we continue to chant it at all religious congregations.
Unable to comprehend how the subject of Upanishad changes from an Abstract God to a Manifest God and then to devatas (translated into English by scholars as demi-gods or gods with small ‘g’), the scholars have remained perplexed and confused, so much so that some of them have gone close to calling the writers of various Upanishads as mentally unstable. Commenting on the aforementioned verses from Isa Upanishad, Radhakrishnan writes: “These apparently contradictory statements are not suggestive of the mental unbalance of the writer. He is struggling to describe through the limitations of human thought and language. The Supreme is beyond the categories of thought. Thought is symbolic and so cannot conceive of the Absolute except through negations; yet the Absolute is not a void. It is all that is in time and yet is beyond time.”
RC Hazra too vainly tries to solve this mystery. See his views: “The Bhagavad-Gita (X-4-7, 32-39) tells us that Paramatma or Bhagavad is all-comprising and all powerful and that the entire creation, subjective, or objective, abstract or concrete, proceeds form Him and is as conscious as His own Self. So, according to the Bhagavad-Gita, all faculties, virtues and vices, originating from the Bhagavat’s conscious Self, are conscious; and as some of the are sometimes found to proceed from others of their respective classes, it is no wonder that in the epics and the Puranas these have been looked upon as sentient beings and their genealogies have been fabricated and recorded like those of men and gods.”
Such is the confusion that various scholars who try to solve this mystery come close yet deviate. This is just because of a missing link which is too vital to be ignored. HH Wilson, whose commentary of Vishnu Purana we used for our study, has also written the commentary of Rig Veda. Yet, he continues to grope in the dark as he was unaware of the true identities of the divine personalities (devatas) talked about all through the Vedas, Upanishads and elsewhere and their relationship with Manifest Self and Absolute God. He confesses that he is unable to understand their true subject or purpose: “It is yet, however, scarcely safe to advance an opinion of the precise belief or philosophy which they (Vedas) inculcate,” says he in his preface to the Vishnu Purana.
Further, he writes: “But the worship of deified heroes is not part of the system; nor are the incarnations of deities suggested in any portion of the text which I have yet seen, though such are sometimes hinted at by the commentators.”
Then, he writes: “Still, however, it is true that the prevailing character of the ritual of the Vedas is the worship of the personified elements; Vayu, the air; Varuna, the water; or Aditya, the sun; Soma, the moon; and other elementary and planetary personages. It is also true that worship of the Vedas is for most part domestic worship, consisting of prayers and oblations offered – in their own houses, not in temples – by individuals for individual good, and addressed to unreal presences, not to visible types. In a word, the religion of the Vedas was not idolatry.”
See how
Says he: “It would seem as if a primitive tradition of the descent of mankind from seven holy personages had at first prevailed, but that in the course of time it had been expanded into complicated, and not always consistent, amplification. How could these Rishis or patriarchs have posterity?”
The fact that
Yet, despite his reservations in accepting it, the prevalence of these ‘legends’ related to the devatas is of such high order that it is impossible for him to deny their presence, even though hesitantly. Says he: “These legends, perplexed as they appear to be, seem to admit of allowable solution, in the conjecture that the Prajapatis and Rishis were real personages, the authors of the Hindu system of social, moral, and religious obligations, and the first observers of the heavens, and teachers of astronomical science.
The regal personages of the Svayambhuva Manvantara are but few, but they are described in the outset as governing the earth in the dawn of society, and as introducing agriculture and civilization.”
Inability to understand the true place of these devatas in this universe created the confusion. The same was the case with Rishi Dayanand Saraswati, a very learned scholar and commentator of Vedas and Upanishads. Rishi Dayanand believed in the presence of One God only. Not able to understand the true concept of trinity, he got confused when he saw that the Vedas talked of several devatas time and again. Therefore, when Rishi Dayanand Saraswati sat to write down the commentary of the Vedas and Upanishads, he discounted the devatas all-together and concluded that the Vedas talked of material things like the fire, the air, the sky, the steam engines, aeroplanes, etc. Thus, the entire teachings of the most authenticated of Hindu divine scriptures became a non-comprehensible, repetitive book, which moves from one subject to other, sometime talking of the steam engine and of need to put oil in the fire for yagya, then of aeroplanes and then talking of which ladle to use to put the oil in the fire.
As you proceed reading this book, we will prove again and again that those referred to as Agni, Vayu, Varuna, Aditya, Indra and others are actually some of the appellations given to the devatas. You will also see that five elements, along with Mahat and Ahankara, that are talked about at several places are again reference the seven holy personages – the seven rishis who are also the devatas – from whom mankind descended, something that confused Wilson, as you have seen a little earlier. And you will also see that of the seven holy personages (divine beings or the devatas), one is a female devi. See these verses from Mundaka Upanishad, which confirm that one of the seven is a devi. If one is devi, it can be easily concluded that the remaining six are devatas.
The seven moving tongues of the fire are the black, the terrific, the swift as mind, the very red, the very smoky-coloured, the spark blazing, the all-shaped (or all-tasting) devi.
The next verse confirms that there will be a time when these devatas and devi would shine in this world at a proper time in future. It is they who show us the path to One God. It also proves that by the time the Upanishad was written they had not come to shine in this world.
Whosoever performs works, makes offerings when these are shining and at the proper time, these in the form of the rays of the sun lead him to that where the one lord of the devatas abide.
Is it not clear from this verse that there is only One Absolute God even according to the Hindu scriptures, and the devatas who have been wrongly seen as gods, are actually agents of that One God. And see II.6.
As spokes in the centre of a wheel, everything is established in life; the Rg (verses), the Yajus (formulas) and the Samans (chants) as also sacrifice, valour and wisdom.
These devatas represent Life (Prana) in the creation of God. Without these devatas, life cannot be conceived. That is the reason why certain Puranas categorically tell that the world will converge into dissolution when the Kalki avatar, one of the devatas who is supposed to take birth in the Kaliyug, departs. In the aforementioned verse, it is said categorically that be it the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda or the Sama Veda – all are established in Life or these devatas, who are the sustainers and supporters of all life in this cosmos.
We will prove later (in Part-II) that the categorization done of the Rig Veda comprising verses, Yajur Veda comprising formulas and Sama Veda comprising chants is wrong. All talk about the incidents from the life of these devatas, when they would come to live in this world.
We have already seen that the seven moving tongues (talked about in the aforementioned verse from Mundaka Upanishad) had a devi as one of them. We had concluded that the remaining six must be devatas. Verse II.9 of the same Upanishad gives name of two of the devatas as Indra and Rudra, who along with four more and a devi comprise Life (Prana). See:
II.9. Indra art thou, O Life (prana), by thy valour; Rudra art thou as a protector. Thou movest in the atmosphere as the sun, the lord of the lights.
Since Indra, Rudra and the devi are the favourite subject of the Vedas, we are justified in concluding that Rishi Dayanand was wrong when he concluded that the Vedas do not talk about the devatas but about material things and rituals. Subsequent verse clearly tells that the rain that we get, the food that we eat, are courtesy these devatas. Moreover, Gita has talked of Indra's heaven where all the good-doers are destined for. It is more essential for us to know who Indra is if we wish to be part of his heaven after our death.
II.10. When thou pourest down rain, then these creatures breathe (and) live in a state of bliss (thinking) that there will be food according to their desire.
Hindus already accept that Indradeva is the lord of rain. Whenever there is shortage of rainfall, or there is excessive rain, it is Indra to whom the prayers are addressed. Moreover, if you remember, we gave a verse from Gita as per which it was clearly stated that one who eats without giving a share to the devatas, is a thief. Now we understand why that had been said.