The Quran’s Words for Thinking and States of Mind

In Surah 55 (Al-Rahman), Allah the Exalted refers to both humans and jinn (a species of creature created from fire) as thaqalān, which means “heavy/weighty” in the dual form used when addressing two. The “heavyweight” here refers to that both humans and jinn have free will plus intellect. Humans identify themselves as thinking creatures, and that faculty is indeed “heavy,” especially when combined with free will, as intellect must have autonomy, hence choice, in order to develop higher/heavier powers. And with weightier powers comes heavier responsibility.

These powers of intellect are described in the Quran as different ways of thinking and gaining knowledge, and the way in which one uses these ways of thinking results in different states of mind/heart. In the Quran, what we call “the mind” is in the heart, as described in a previous post. So what we call a state of mind is really a state of heart, with all the qualitative meanings associated with it. But studying the Quran more closely, we find that there are many ways of thinking, and these produce different states of mind.

We Are Worshipers by Nature

Previously I asked the question “What Is Worship of Allah?” But because people worship many things, it’s important to define worship itself, a word which in English is given rather vague and circular meanings. According to the Quran, we are all worshipers, in the sense that Allah did not create humankind except to worship Him. The whole point of our existence is supposed to be worship, which in Arabic is ‘abud. Of course there are many people who do not worship God at all, and thus are not fulfilling their actual purpose, but they may not realize they are worshiping something. So what then does “worship” actually mean or entail? Interestingly, a novelist raised as an atheist who as a child used to secretly pray to God, gave a famously popular commencement speech which makes the very same point we find in the Quran, that we are all created to worship. We can choose what or whom to worship, but cannot choose to not worship – to think so is to be deluded.

When People Worship Their Feelings

This Nouman Ali Khan video shows us the difference between Quranic guidance and pop psychology, where people use terms like “toxic” and “narcissist” and “gaslighting” to pass judgment on others without knowledge of psychology, morality, or even common sense. The idea of “boundaries” we need to set for ourselves can become in itself a refusal to treat another person with dignity or compassion, and the idea of passing judgment on, say, “toxic parents” or “narcissistic” siblings, or label any of one’s family members or others with the popular labels is itself the opposite of what Allah the Exalted asks of us in the Quran.

Worship God alone; do not attribute divinity to others. Be good to your parents, close relatives, orphans, the needy, to close and far neighbors, close friends, stranded travelers and those whom your right hands held in trust. God does not love those who are conceited and full of pride; (4:36)

Surat Al-Humaza 104

This sura’s power lies in its sounds, and it’s message. Of course, those sounds can only be heard in Arabic; but before presenting how that works, notice how the message is described in a series of unexpected connections. The first unexpected element is how a “fault-finding backbiter” is not found fault with because of his backbiting, but rather from his amassing of wealth and counting it. Backbiters are not associated with wealth, but rather with gossip. And this guy’s big sin is counting his wealth? Nowadays, one might ask, “well, shouldn’t someone with money count it to know how much he has? What’s wrong with that? And who thinks having money will make them immortal? So ok, backbiting is bad, and I suppose greed is bad too, but fire? Aren’t these guys the supply side who get the economy going? Reserve hell for the murderers and rapists.” But let’s look a little deeper.

About Love, Happiness, and Islam

A very short video packed with meaning.

This short 30-second video tells us much about what Islam is and Who Allah Is. The Arabs had 14 different words for love, one of which is arguably a name for Allah. And which is more loving, to sacrifice an innocent human being in order to enable forgiveness for a supposed “original sin” that God Himself is unfairly accused of refusing to forgive? Or to have forgiven Adam/Eve on the spot after they repented, and only punish people for sins they personally committed and not for some inherited sin? Allah is the same God of Psalms 136:1-3, 5, and elsewhere, “and His mercy endures forever.” “Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness.” (Quran 53:32)