Street Prophets

Ramadan Day 15: Verses from the Quran

by lauramp

Wed Oct 19, 2005 at 08:02:24 PM PDT

Each day during Ramadan, I am presenting a verse from the Quran with a few thoughts or comments. An introduction to this series is here. Inshallah (God willing), I hope that this may be of benefit to any who are interested in learning a bit more about Islam and Muslim belief.

Quran 17:44:

The seven heavens and the earth glorify Him, and whoever is in them. There is nothing that does not glorify and praise Him, but you do not understand their glorification. Surely He is Forebearing, Forgiving
How do the plants and the rocks and the oceans glorify God? This is a wonderful mystery to contemplate.

Their glorification is not in a manner that we recognize, as human glorification of God is.

Many Muslim thinkers believe that all of creation glofifies God just by being what it is, and embodying the nature that God created it with. Just by being, things testify to the greatness of He who created them.

Every human being glorifies God in this same way, by being what He created us to be. As beings of intelligence and free will, we are able to glorify God in other ways as well, such as through prayer and other forms of worship.

But even a person who is not able to do this for some reason, or chooses not to, is still a testament to God's greatness simply by existing.


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  • Another parallel -- Psalm 19 (0 / 0)

    My favorite psalm comes to mind again -- in it, creation glorifies God ("The heavens declare the glory of God").  The psalmist goes on to talk about the perfection of God's Law (drawing a parallel between the perfection of Creation and the perfection of the Law, is how I read it) and then humbly asks God to guard the psalmist from sin.

    Beautiful again, lauramp

    by Liberal Protestant on Wed Oct 19, 2005 at 09:05:53 PM PDT

  • I would definitely agree (0 / 0)

    that the rocks and plants glorify God, for just the reason you say, that they tell of his glory by being what they are. Your comment that this is true of people also is beautiful.

    Is there are reason why there are seven heavens? What is the meaning of this?

    by Elizabeth D on Wed Oct 19, 2005 at 09:34:27 PM PDT

    • seven heavens (0 / 0)

      Where to start on this?! Have you ever been so happy that you said you were in "seventh heaven"?

      The idea that there are seven heavens seems to have been very common in the ancient world, often associated with the seven celestial bodies known at that time (the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn). The number seven seems to have had powerful symbolic meaning as well and it might not necessarily mean a literal seven (also here for a specifically Islamic view).

      It was part of Neo-platonism and from there entered the philsophical, mystical, and esoteric traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

      Some modern Muslims interpret it as referring to a symbolic number of universes.

      I haven't even begun to scratch the surface on this one, this is just what I could pull together after a quick Googling.

      "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

      by lauramp on Wed Oct 19, 2005 at 11:12:25 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • just as an aside... (0 / 0)

      In addition to Laura's answer about the seven heavens, I'd note that the numbers seven and twelve were believed to have particular significance in the ancient Levant, and therefore in the three Abrahamic faiths that developed there.

      Think about it:  

      Seven: God rested on the seventh day, therefore we have seven-day weeks; the Seven Deadly Sins; seven Sacraments in Catholicism

      Twelve: Twelve Tribes of Israel; Twelve Apostles

      I'm sure there are more examples, but that's off the top of my head.  (I ruled out the 12 days of Christmas because I assume that idea evolved later....)

      In Shia Islam, there are two main sects:  Seveners, or Ismailis, and Twelvers, which are the largest group today.  The distinction has to do with the number of Shia Imams that each group acknowledges.

      "Religion without humanity is a poor human stuff." -- Sojourner Truth

      by the stormy present on Thu Oct 20, 2005 at 07:15:16 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      • Ismailis (0 / 0)

        From my understanding, the Ismailis really, really liked the seven heavens idea, since it fit so well with their theology.

        A book for those who are really interested in that sort of thing is An Introduction to Islamic Cosmological Doctrines. It includes reference to Ismaili, philosophical, and estoric views.

        "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

        by lauramp on Thu Oct 20, 2005 at 01:30:22 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  • Consolation (0 / 0)

    I mentioned earlier that I converted to Islam in order to marry to a Muslim woman but am somewhat ambivalent about it. In fact, I should confess that I'm not fasting this Ramadan. Most years I at least try some days to support my wife, but this year she's nursing so she isn't fasting, and more or less by default, neither am I.

    It seems that the biggest fear she has is that if I don't shape up, she's going to end up in heaven all by herself. Apparently, in Islam, marriage carries over into heaven.

    However, though her practice is mostly devotional, she apparently absorbed a very broad knowledgeable about Islam from her father, who is the former  director of a Muslim school in Indonesia.

    (Traditional Islam in Indonesia--that is to say the variety that is said to have been brought to the island by nine Sufi saints, is a very rich and  interesting tradition, having overlaid, but not entirely supplanted Buddhism, Hinduism and the native animism.)

    One of the things she finds consolation in is Koran verses like this, that suggest that we cannot judge how others worship or glorify God. She understands my ambivalence, even about the existence of God, and is sympathetic to my beliefs as a Buddhist. (Though when she has attened practice at the temple with me, it was partly to satisfy herself that we don't worship the Buddha statues in the temple.) In the end, she seems convinced that the fact that I'm committed to being a good person (compassion, mindfulness & all that) may be worship enough and that, at the very least, it is up to God & not her to pass judgement.

    by kailash on Wed Oct 19, 2005 at 10:51:18 PM PDT

    • looking for what we have in common (0 / 0)

      Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. I'm glad to know that verses like this one are consoling for your wife. I hope that their meaning is helpful to you as well.

      I wish the two of you all the best. It can be difficult sometimes when two people are on different paths, but we should try to look for what we have in common and to work together to make the world a better place.

      "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

      by lauramp on Wed Oct 19, 2005 at 11:16:04 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • Lovely passage (0 / 0)

    I love that mysterious clause, "but you do not understand their glorification." Nor can we, really. We only have the human perspective, even when we believe we're seeing from outside ourselves. Is a flower expressing joy? I wouldn't answer "no" with any certainty.  

    "There ain't no sanity clause." Chico Marx http://wfmu.org/playlists/RX

    by Asbury Park on Thu Oct 20, 2005 at 02:46:16 AM PDT

  • I'm reminded of the Song of the Three Young Men... (0 / 0)

    ...which I think is from the Apocrypha but it's supposed to be the song that the three companions of Daniel were singing as they walked around unhurt in the fiery furnace.

    ...Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord,
    O heavens and all waters above the heavens.
    Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord,
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
    Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew,
    all winds and fire and heat.
    Winter and summer, glorify the Lord,
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
    Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold,
    drops of dew and flakes of snow.
    Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord,
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
    Glorify the Lord, O nights and days,
    O shining light and enfolding dark.
    Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord,
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
    Let the earth glorify the Lord,
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
    Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills, and all that grows upon the earth,
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
    Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas, and streams;
    O whales and all that move in the waters.
    All birds of the air, glorify the Lord,
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever.
    Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild,
    and all you flocks and herds....

    And last but not least...
    ...O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord,
    praise him and highly exalt him forever....

    I love the whole idea that - as someone else has said - all creation and all created things give praise simply be being what they are. Would that all people could learn what the mountains and seas and deer are born knowing!

    by KLSiegel on Thu Oct 20, 2005 at 07:15:00 AM PDT

  • being... (0 / 0)

    "...believe that all of creation glofifies God just by being what it is, and embodying the nature that God created it with. Just by being, things testify to the greatness of He who created them."

    This is an amazingly enlightening view that i've teken on in the last few years, the truly "seeing" of the connections within all of creation, the magnitude of it all.   I initially got it through some "New Age" writing (which i generally dont go for) that spoke some truths to me.

    I've come to really see God in all things, as a presence, and energy, if you will. Some people i've discussed this with feel that this trivializes the magnitude of god in some way...but it has deepened my experience of god in more ways than i have ever expected.   The fact that i "see" and feel him in everything i experience, has brought me a peace and fulfillment i never expected.  

    The fact that i refer to this all encompassing "net" as god, and others refer to it as Allah, or Yaweh, or multiple other names at once, gives me even more satisfaction, and only goes to prove to me, that it really is the tie that binds us all, every living thing.  

    steps down from box

    by Faithful in Durham on Thu Oct 20, 2005 at 07:34:02 AM PDT

  • a common theme (0 / 0)

    I love to see similar teachings and passages from other traditions. Thanks everybody for sharing!

    "Riches does not mean having a great amount of property, but riches is self-contentment." (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him)

    by lauramp on Thu Oct 20, 2005 at 01:31:03 PM PDT

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