Celestial Realm (19) vs Earthly (7) Realm Graphics

This graphic compares the upper (celestial) and lower (earthly/ dunya) hemispheres of the Quranic Architectural Chart. If we add the house (pie section/ month/ first 12 suras’) numbers as “opposite side” adjacent pairs, as shown by connecting lines in the illustration below, we find an interesting pattern that highlights the significant numbers 7 and 19 in the Quran. The dark line separates the two hemispheres, the upper half representing the “celestial timeless realm” and the lower half representing the “earthly/dunya realm of time,” a central theme in the Quran.

The large numbers of the first 12 suras are also the house or pie section numbers. A darker line divides the upper and lower hemispheres. Note the sums of the connected house numbers are highlighted in yellow to show the 7’s in the lower and the 19’s in the upper hemispheres.

The sums in the lower half all added to 7 (highlighted in yellow), and sums in the upper half all added to 19 (also highlighted in yellow), indicating the significance of these two numbers may relate to the two realms these hemispheres represent. The two realms are discussed at length in a previous post as the Unseen Al-Ghaib, which points out: “The ‘seven heavens’ likely involve ‘dimensions’ or worlds/realms’ between which are partitions (the word hijab), an example being the jinn, creatures normally invisible to humans.” But these seven heavens are likely not all in the Unseen realm; the stars we see at night are in the “lower heaven” which we can see (37:6). And although we cannot see the jinn, they are nonetheless part of the dunya, the lower realm (34:14, 72:8). Below we examine the numbers 7 and 19, and what they could mean in light of the graphic above. The number 7 is repeated more often (27x) than 19 (1x), and there may be a reason for this.

The Four Great Suras of Salat (Prayer)

(Note: New Improved Post, removed the excess for a different post.) The four suras (like chapters/sections) of the Quran most frequently recited in the canonical Islamic prayer called salat are the first sura, Al-Fatiha “The Opening” (1), the quintessential prayer of salat, and the final 3 suras, Al-Ikhlas “Sincerity” (112), Al-Falaq “Daybreak/ Breaking-open” (113), and An-Nass “The People” (114). They are all short suras, making them easy to recite. Allah the All-Merciful wants this prayer to be easy for us, and at the same time a powerful and effective “connection” to Him, to His all-encompassing power and mercy. These four suras form a {2,3,4} set, with three (3) together at the end, and the fourth (4) in the very beginning, and two of these suras form a pair (2) in the “middle.” Thus the end of the Quran re-connects us to the beginning, analogous to how Resurrection and Judgment Day reconnect us to Allah in paradise where Adam was created at the beginning of humanity – if we had faith in Allah, and made a genuine effort in Allah’s path of justice and compassion.

The Name Al-Rahman and Its Significance in the Quran

The name Al-Rahman as explained here is most meaningful when interpreted as the Almighty, forming a clear Yang/Yin relationship with the name Al-Raheem, the All-Merciful. It is mentioned 57 times in Quran, in 56 ayat (because one aya contains 2 mentions) in 18 suras. This subject is so vast it needs multiple posts, but here I will try to convey the Quranic significance of the name to begin with.

Everything in the Basmalah is important, far more than most of those who analyze Quranic structure think. But the name Al-Rahman is particularly so, and also not well-understood, or at least the translations and a number of presumptions do not take into account all the indicators of its depth of meaning. Here we list some important indicators of that meaning.

Thoughts on Allah and His Prophet

“Say: I hold not for myself [the power of] benefit or harm, except what Allah has willed.” (7:188)

“Say: I possess not for myself any harm or benefit except what Allah should will.” (10:49)

And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers.'” (10:106)

If we put these quotes together, the first two being statements that Allah the Exalted told prophet Mohammad to say, and the last being an admonition to all people, we can see that prophet Mohammad (pbuh) himself should not be invoked besides Allah in any way. But what does this mean in practical application? Of course, we should not call upon prophet Mohammad when we are praying to Allah, nor should we think within ourselves that we need to invoke him to assure that our prayers will be answered by the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. But what are the limits or guidance on this from the Quran?

The Qur’an as a Whole

Although we may read from any part of the Quran we wish and take from it wisdom, the Quran is an inviolable whole in a more profound sense, which is important to take into account in trying to understand it. The Quran is unique in being utterly comprehensive in scope, free of contradictions or confusion, presented with great clarity for ordinary people to understand, easy to remember, and of the utmost integrity, both in the sense of being well-integrated and in the sense of being unimpeachable. If one thinks about it, these qualities are mind-boggling. But how can all this fit into a relatively small book, commonly printed at slightly over 600 pages of Arabic text?