More Profound Meaning in the Quranic Initials’ Placement in “Nautilus” Chart

Previously I discussed the “disconnected letters,” Muqatta’at or Quranic Initials (QIs) in terms of the ayat that follow them showing, in 26 out of the 29 suras where they occur, that they point to the Quran in several ways, and what that means. For this post, I will examine what we can learn from the context of their placement in the Quranic Architecture Chart as discussed on this blog and shown below. As before, I’m not searching for a “miracle,” but merely presenting meanings and possible interpretations. Because they do not form words, even scholars seem to be stymied by these Initials, often saying “only Allah knows what they mean.” I believe this issue occurs because they are viewed as a “code” or hidden meaning of some kind but after much study they didn’t find it. So it’s like who are we to presume the interpretation of letters that are not even words? But I believe one is less likely to find meaning when viewed this way, as if Allah the Exalted is asking us to read His inscrutable mind. On the contrary, He is supremely communicative! Why not take from them what is knowable, however simple it may be? These letters are given to us, and who knows us better than the All-Knowing?

The Quranic Initials or Muqatta’at

The Muqatta’at or “Quranic Initials” – which can be abbreviated as “QIs” – are 14 unique Arabic letters arranged in various groupings which do not form words, hence the Arabic name meaning “cut off” or separated. They form 14 unique “sets” of letters containing from 1 to 5 letters each. Counting repeats, they comprise 30 sets in 30 ayat in 29 suras – sura 42 (Al-Shura) contains two sets of QIs, each in a separate aya (42:1-2). With this one exception, these initials occur in the first aya/verse of a sura, some comprising the entire aya, and others followed by words in the same aya. Many scholars throughout history have studied these, with varying results and ideas, some concluding that we cannot know their meaning, dubbing them “mystic/mysterious” letters. You may have heard of them as part of a “code,” claimed to be protecting the Quran from adulteration (most famously Code 19). But would the Almighty even need such a code? These letters are at least presented to make us think. So we’ve thought about them and their meaning in the Quran, bearing in mind that this is a book by the Almighty Omniscient, and nothing He does is “meaningless.” Clue: Allah’s words are decrees but these are letters that don’t form words – thus an opening where fate is not sealed.

Allah/God is our only Ballast

Many people who think themselves modern or of a superior worldview disparage religion (although with the ongoing genocide by Israel is changing people’s outlook), and in particular disparage the “idea” of God, as if God was nothing more than an idea. Although this contradicts the narrative of Jewish faith one thinks of in the public sphere, where God is One, ineffable, and interacts with humanity in a very real and tangible way, more or less like Islam, if one examines how the rabbinical and general interpretive stream goes, it tends toward muddying the waters between human and Divine.  As per below:

God is not a static being, but a dynamic becoming. Without human participation, God remains incomplete, unrealized. It is up to us to actualize the divine potential in the world. God needs us.

As for the “dynamic,” this is very true and I’ve often argued that very point, that “God is not a static Being,” as shown in the Quran. But “becoming” can be understood as “not yet realized” whereas Allah the Exalted is completely and fully realized. The problem with this is “realized” in the next sentence in bold which uses the word “becoming” to imply an insufficiency on God’s part which humans supposedly fulfill. This is false and totally contradicts truth. God/Allah is free of need, and does not “need” us at all. The Quran repeatedly tells us this!

O mankind, you are the ones in need of Allah. Indeed, Allah is the Free of Need, the Praiseworthy. (35:15)

Indeed, Allah is our only true Ballast. Without Him, we have neither true north nor south, nor any direction whatsoever, and truth becomes an invention, something anyone can make up, a fantasy, and thus we lose both balance and direction, rendering life itself pointless and meaningless. Which is where the “modern” mindset, denying God/Allah outright, has taken us. Yet many still have their conscience, their innate Fitrah.

Some thoughts on Free Will, Faith, and Allah’s Wisdom

Recently I attended a class discussing such things as the Islamic view of free will, guidance, and the “problem of evil” – why is there is evil in the world if God is good – and other related subjects no single title could really cover. It was well-presented, so I will try to bring some of those insights here. I believe this is “standard” Islamic theology, and mostly conforms to the Quranic text, although the terms used are modern English, and there’s a difference between the two.

Two immediate things: the “problem of evil” does not exist in Islam, but exists in Christianity (and probably Judaism although it wasn’t named), which now poses this question to Muslims, many of whom don’t understand their own theology, thus clarification is needed. “Free will” (in the sense of “I can do whatever I want”) also doesn’t exist in Islam, but that definition doesn’t sound plausible in any philosophy or rational understanding. “Free will” in my former definition meant a limited measure of autonomy and choice, whose confines are unique to each person, and for which one can be held accountable. Otherwise, what is Judgment Day, where by definition God is absolutely Just?

Video Explains Israeli Cruelty, Similar to How the Quran Describes Satan

In this video, an Israeli who is against the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the siege of Gaza tells us “How Israelis Live so Easily with Occupation.” He explains why they commit atrocities and are comfortable with the occupation, as well as the current war crimes in Gaza and now Rafah, where they can hear children’s screams of agony from starvation and fear. His answers show us a mindset like Satan’s as described in the Quran, although that was not his observation. How can people commit these evil, unconscionable atrocities against mothers and children and celebrate them? Why do they dehumanize Palestinians, who welcomed the first refugees in the aftermath of WWII, and in return were massacred?

Satan’s “original” sin which condemned him to hell was arrogance. We may have wondered if that’s enough to warrant hell. But this arrogance is the root cause of all evil.

Wives, Angels’ Wings, and the {2,3,4} Set in the Quran

Scholars have over time pondered two ayat – 4:3 and 35:1 which concern the elements named in the title above – connected somehow by the curious fact that each mentions the phrase “two and three and four.” Why are these specific numbers mentioned this unusual way? In light of what was previously discussed as a {3,4} set, which indicated the Quran’s architecture may be based on Allah’s name in Arabic, I’ve found that this Quranic {3,4} set is also part of a {2,3,4} set, matching the numbers given in these two ayat. By “set” I mean a group of objects (or “elements,” in this case from the Quran) as per set theory. Now, I’m no mathematician, but for me it’s a way of seeing these numbers as part of a fascinating structure in the Quran, found in Allah’s name in Arabic, the Basmalah, and how the last three surahs in the Quran connect to the first as we shall explain – and more. So first, we examine the two ayat, the meaning of “2 and 3 and 4” in each context, and how it relates to the Quran’s structure.

Allah’s Infinite Justice

Note re featured image above: When you plot the sun’s position at the same time of day once a week throughout the year you get this figure of eight, or infinity symbol, called Analemma. April and September are at the crossover point in precisely the same position.

Muslims know that Allah’s justice is perfect – one of His significant names is Al-‘Adl, the Just. In fact, justice of the highest order is required of all Muslims, for “indeed Allah loves those who act justly.” (5:42, 49:9, 60:8) But certain theological dogmas in Christianity and other faiths involve beliefs which at their heart represent God/Allah to be unjust. Which is itself unjust to Allah/God. It’s not the only one we’ll explore here, but the doctrine of original sin is a prime example. Is it just or fair to hold a person guilty for an act they did not themselves commit? Clearly not. The Quran tells us, contrary to church doctrine, that God/Allah forgave Adam/Eve and even gave them words to properly express their feelings.

Then Adam received some words from his Lord, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed it is He who is the Acceptor of Repentance, the Merciful. (2:37) – (close to the beginning of the whole Quran)

Tragedies of Epic Scope

How will we answer her? When will the Zionists be held accountable for any of their many atrocities? Right now the tide is turning against them and they are unable to perceive it or prevent it insha’Allah. Meanwhile the genocide of Palestinians continues unabated. Zionists (not to be confused with Jews; Zionism is an ideology not a religion) do not believe Divine retribution could ever apply to them, as “chosen people,” and so they refuse to think the Biblical laws regarding justice, such as the Ten Commandments, could apply to them, because they’ve found a “workaround.” Zionism is actually antisemite, because it wants people to think they follow God’s law and they use religion for public relations. But in reality they do not actually follow the Torah or represent Jews or Judaism at all. It’s called playing with words, mixing truth with falsehood to justify crimes against humanity. The aya below is speaking of Bani Isra’il or “the children of Israel (prophet Jacob),” the ancestors of modern Jews.

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.

The Meaningful Universe 3 – Dhikr and Memory as Connection

Mentioned in the Quran far more frequently than any form of “thinking,” dhikr (which I also spelled as thikr, which seems closer to how to pronounce it, like the “th” sound in “the” or “this” but dhikr is “standard” transliteration) means “to remember” and also “to invoke,” which can be expressed as “to bring to mind.” To get an idea of how far-reaching memory can be, some “ultraconserved” words have survived 15,000 years pointing to a “deep language ancestry across Eurasia;” ancient oral histories have preserved information later confirmed by science and in a larger scale (showing ancient sea rise, for example) as well; and scientists are aware of memory’s key role in thought processes, described as “an integral part of human cognition, since it allows individuals to recall and draw upon past events to frame their understanding of and behavior within the present…and future.” Memory plays a role across all time-scales, from short-term to long-term within individuals, to untold millennia in “collective memory” which is often preserved through oral tradition. The Quran itself, self-described as Dhikr al-hakeem or “wisdom-remembrance,” is a Divine revelation given to us as both an oral tradition as well as a written book/manuscript. 

What Does the Quran Say about Jesus’ “Second Coming?” And about Masih Al-Dajjal, the Antichrist?

First, the Quran says nothing about a “second coming” or “return” of Jesus/Isa, nor does it mention an Anti-Christ/Masih Dajjal or anything similar. This itself is a serious omission for such a significant and unprecedented event. But there is an aya in the Quran (43:61) that is often construed to possibly “fit” the idea that Jesus might somehow be “coming back.” And there are many hadiths which mention this idea. Hence for many Muslims, it’s a done deal. But how reliable are those hadiths and do they contradict the Quran? For one thing, the Quran, unequivocally states that prophet Mohammad is the “seal” of the prophets (33:40). The word khatam or “seal” is significantly different than to say “the last” or akhir prophet. A “seal” as used in the Quran means an irreversible decree from Allah Himself, the same word used repeatedly to say Allah “sealed the hearts” of rejectors/disbelievers (4:155, 9:87, 9:93, 16:108, 47:16, 63:3). Once Allah “seals” a person’s heart, there’s no turning back. For Jesus/Isa to come after Mohammad would “break the seal” and it doesn’t change this fact that Isa was not a new prophet. In fact, it goes against the Way of Allah with his prophets, discussed below, as well as breaches the impassable barrier between this world and alghaib – the unseen, which in this case refers to Allah’s timeless realm – and this is simply never allowed. There’s no room for equivocation! 

Who are the Houris of Paradise as Mentioned in the Quran?

This excellent Quora post about the Hoor presents a different understanding about who the Hoor or Houris are, which makes more sense than the common interpretation of them as beautiful virgin women in paradise. Instead these are “soulmates” who are not limited to female gender and are given to all the companions of paradise, who are only allowed to see and “marry” them once they enter Paradise. I may update this post and related issues regarding our understanding of Paradise because there’s much to discuss in it, but it is well-presented.

Meaning and Truth Is So Much More than Miracles

There is much speculation about numbers in the Quran, their interrelationships, and the idea of finding “miracles” in them. In fact, my previous post was all about Quranic miracles (examples very hard to debunk), not simply because they were clearly extraordinary, but because they were relevant to the message of the Quran as a whole. Although I’ve studied numerical relationships in the Quran somewhat extensively, “finding miracles” was never my aim, but rather finding meaning. For example, what I found remarkable in studies done to show that the Quran doesn’t comply with  Zipf’s Law (then claim it is therefore a miracle) was not so much its “noncompliance” as the fact that the first two words in order of frequency in the Quran are min Allah, which means “from Allah.” This means something. Whether or not it “miraculously” complied with Zipf’s Law…in itself does not. Because what is so important about Zipf’s Law in itself? And these sorts of things can be debunked. Why? Well, mathematics itself is kind of miraculous. 

The Basmalah as Gateway to the Quran and, Symbolically, Paradise

There is no dispute that the Basmalah contains the first words one reads in the Quran, and in that sense one could consider it the gateway into the Quran. Similarly, as the “opening” to the Quran, most graphically illustrated in the “nautilus shell” architecture discussed on this site, Al-Fatiha (the first sura whose name literally means “opening”) is our point of entry into the Quran, establishing its perimeters, in particular the primacy of salat, of connecting to Allah the Exalted. But it also symbolizes the gate to paradise as is mentioned in three ayat discussed below. Because of course, the Quran is our guide to how to get through the coming catastrophe of Al-Akhira to the ultimate success that transcends the tests and suffering of our brief mortal existence. 

Why Does the Quran Focus on Al-Akhira?

This is one of the most important questions one can ask. Faith in Allah is indelibly entwined with faith in Al-Akhira, the Hereafter. The life of this world is temporary and is, according to the Quran, only a test, but the Hereafter is everlasting. This understanding is in some ways – at the least, as an emphasis on higher “eternal” values – the basis for all major religions. There are however differences in Islam, which gives a clear and balanced approach to the subject.

The Seen vs the Unseen Al-Ghaib, Angels, & the Finality: Separate Realities

In modern society many people think all knowledge is in some way scientific and empirical. But what we miss is an understanding of the purpose and meaning of life, basic morals and common decency, and of course, matters of faith, including what happens after death, the question of Judgment Day, and related symbols or “signs.” The Quran speaks of two worlds, the “witnessed” and the unseen or الغيب alghaib which is beyond our perception. And the “witnessed” simply means that which we have observed. Nothing under the category of alghaib “the unseen” is more significant than Al-Akhira, The Finality, or Resurrection/ Judgment Day. Its reality is described in the Quran as Truth itself, when everything we could not know in empirically evident detail (due to its nature) in this world will become absolutely evident. From this we can begin to understand that we are expected to trust in Allah b’al-ghaib meaning without directly perceiving and there are powerful reasons for this. 

Death and Resurrection in Every Heartbeat

A previous post speaks in details about how with every heartbeat there is a death — when dead (de-oxygenated) blood enters the right atrium (yin receptive chamber) to be pumped at low pressure (an essential yinmercy) into the lungs (by the right balanced yin/yang ventricle/pump) — and resurrection — oxygenation in the lungs, the organ that recycles the element of air (O₂ in, CO₂ out) — received by the left atrium (receiving chamber), to be pumped by the powerful left ventricle (the power yang pump) at high pressure (full might/power) alive into the whole body, which is thus resurrected. And how this relates to Allah’s name. 

THIS HAPPENS WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT. And this heartbeat is dhikr Allah! 

Sura 92 Word and Letter Counts Bring Surprising Revelations

This represents Ulam’s Number Spiral , where a doodle (this image) revealed unexpected previously-unknown diagonal patterns in prime numbers. The name ”Ulam” is similar to the Arabic root for ”knowledge” or “scholar.”

This study of Sura 92’s word and letter counts brought entirely unexpected results on closer examination. The Quran expresses its message, its truth, in powerful and eloquent words, and also within these words, numerical relationships of precision and beauty, using the language of math like a true language, complete with nuance, even rhyme and reason, certainly complexity that is beyond the scope of my knowledge. To interpret them requires viewing numbers as more than mere quantitative bits of data. No, they have qualities and are symbolic as well, which doesn’t occur in a vacuum but rather in their context — in the world around us, in life and everything else. Here are numbers that give precision to this sura’s beauty, and reveal how much Allah has put into simply guiding us. Imagine then this is from Allah the Almighty All-Merciful, and imagine Who then is Allah and what does He give us in this Quran — nothing less than a lifeline to His love. 

Sura 92 Al-Layl’s Beautiful Structure and Meaning

Surat Al-Layl 92 is the gift that keeps on giving unexpected insights, tightly integrated on many levels. Its 21 ayat/verses can be divided into 3 parts of 7 ayat each, a striking symmetry, and this within a separate ring arrangement based on the division between this world and the Hereafter. The sura’s emphasis on the primacy of charitable acts as proof of faith and other meaningful details are powerfully reflected in its structure as well. 

Sura 103 Al-‘Asr: Time

The second-shortest sura, with only 3 ayat (verses), gives us much to think about: time, eternity, and how we spend our time in this world. It’s been said that the sahaba (followers) of Prophet Mohammad used to recite this sura whenever they departed, and this sura is considered of great importance, perhaps surprising for such a small sura. But it poses an important question. Shall we invest our limited time and resources towards this world or the next? And what does it actually mean to “invest towards the next” life?