Page 217 - Matter: The Other Name for Illusion

Some people in the past have grasped the truth about the essence of
matter, yet because their faith in God and their understanding of the Koran
have been weak, they have produced deviant ideas. Some have said,
"Everything is an illusion, so there is no point in worship." Such ideas are
twisted and ignorant. It is true that everything is a perception presented to us

by God. However, it is also true that God charges us to abide by the Koran.
What we have to do is to carefully abide by His commands and prohibitions.
In the Koran, God reveals that He has provided very little information
about the soul. God has created this image of a test for a certain cause:

We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of
wealth and life and fruits. But give good news to the steadfast. (Surat al-
Baqara: 155)
You will be tested in your wealth and in yourselves and you will hear
many abusive words from those given the Book before you and from
those who associate others with God. But if you are steadfast and do
your duty, that is the most resolute course to take. (Surah Al 'Imran: 186)

There is considerable wisdom within this test. One of these is that we are

tested and then it is determined where we will be in the eternal life of the
Hereafter as a result. Further wisdom could lie in the way people can witness
what they do throughout their lives, and see why the morality by which they
have lived should lead them to heaven or hell at the Day of Judgment. But God
knows the truth. All we can do is to pray that He will reveal His knowledge to us.

F
h
"
a
e
a
o
r
v
c
:
n
e

r
o
r

o
h

u
a
t
w
e

m
p
r
,

w
n
j
b
e
e
e

o

o
i
s
l
w
n

O Objection: "From what we have seen so far, our perception will l
s
c
p
f
t
t
e
i
i
a
h
t

l
l
t
r

W
i

f
h
t
s
.
l
a
t
o
a
h
n
i
t
e
e
r
e

u
a

n
a
d
n
v
n
o
c continue even after death. Will that last forever? Are heaven and
e

e
r
t
f
r
e
e
e
v

d
e
n
A
e
v

?

a
"
n
?
b
u

n
g
o
t
t
t

l

l
h hell nothing but totalities of perception?"
e
h
i
t
n
o
a
o
i
p
e
r
e
p
t
c

i
e
t
l
i
o
f

s
e
p
:

l
y
R Reply: God has created the people in such a way that we can only
perceive the world by means of images presented to our souls. In other words,
we can still only see the images presented to us in our brain, and can by no
means see or touch what lies outside itwhether there is a real physical world
out there or not. However, after death God will create the individual in a
different manner. This creation will also be an image, in other words, we will
see an image of heaven again in our minds, although we can never know what
how that new creation will beis.
Replies To Objections Regarding The Reality Of Matter 215