Page 209 - Matter: The Other Name for Illusion

Everyone on it will pass away; but the Face of your Lord will remain,
Master of Majesty and Generosity. (Surat ar-Rahman: 26-27)

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O Objection: "If we accept this account, then there can be no
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R Reply: This is a completely unrealistic claim. The fact that we cannot be
in direct contact with the physical world does not do away with the secret of
the test. Even though we never get to know the original of the matter, what
God has said to be forbidden is forbidden, and what is lawful is lawful. For
example, God has forbidden the eating of pork. Saying, "I only confront the
perception of pork" and then going on to eat it is evidently dishonest and
unintelligent. Alternatively, saying "I only know the images of these people in
my mind, so it does not matter if I lie to them" is not something that anyone
who fears God and has understood what we are discussing could ever do. That
applies to all the limits, commands and prohibitions imposed by God. The fact
of what we are discussing does not do away with performing the five daily
prayers, giving alms, for instance. The fact that the alms we give exist in the
minds of the people we give them to does not mean we need not perform this
obligation. God has created the whole world as a totality of perceptions,
however, within these perceptions we are still charged with abiding by what
the Koran has revealed.
In the past, some people twisted this truth to try and do away with the
concepts of lawful and unlawful. However, they already possessed a twisted
belief system, and they may have wanted to use this truth for their own ends.
Yet it should be understood that the conclusion they arrived at was incorrect.
In conclusion, anyone who honestly considers the situation will clearly
see that, for the purposes of the test which God gives us, it is not necessary to
interact with the matter itself. God has created this test within the world of
images. There is no basis to the suggestion that one needs to know the original
of the matter to pray or distinguish between what is lawful and unlawful.
Furthermore, the important thing is the soul. It is the soul that will be punished
or rewarded with blessings in the Hereafter. For that reason, the fact that we
confront an illusion of matter in our minds does not prevent us doing what is
lawful and avoiding what is unlawful or carrying out our religious obligations.
At this point, we need to be clear that those who claim they have no
Replies To Objections Regarding The Reality Of Matter 207