Page 155 - The Truth of the Life of This World

tains the images of the material universe that people see. (Allah knows
best.) If Allah did not wish to show the image of the world to our minds,
the entire universe would cease to exist for us, and we could never reach
it.
That we can never directly contact the material universe also answers
the question of "Where is Allah?" that preoccupies a great many people.
As mentioned at the start, many cannot comprehend Allah's power and
so, imagine Him as present somewhere in the heavens and not really inter-
vening in worldly affairs. (Allah is certainly beyond that.) This logic is
based on the assumptions that the universe is an assembly of matter and
Allah is "outside" this material world.
However, just as we can never reach the material universe, neither can
we have full knowledge of its true essence. All we know is the existence
of the Creator Who brought all these things into being - in other words,
Allah. To express that truth, great Islamic scholars like Imam Rabbani have
said that the only absolute being is Allah; and that all the rest, except Him,
are shadow entities.
That is because the world we see is entirely in our minds, and to direct-
ly experience its counterpart in the external world is totally impossible.
That being so, it would be wrong to imagine that Allah is "outside" of
a material universe that we can never attain.
Allah is surely "everywhere" and encompasses all. This reality is
explained in the Qur'an as follows:

... His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the
earth and their preservation does not tire Him. He is Why is it not then
the Most High, the Magnificent. (Surat al-Baqara: that when it (soul)
255) comes up to the
What! Are they in doubt about the meeting with throat, and you at
their Lord? What! Does He not encompass all that time look on,
things? (Surah Fussilat: 54) We are nearer to it
The fact that Allah is not bound with space and than you, but you
that He encompasses everything roundabout is see not. (Surat
stated in another verse as follows: al-Waqia: 83-85)
Both East and West belong to Allah, so wherever

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