Page 788 - Atlas of Creation Volume 3

Past And Future Are Actually Experienced In The Present

Because time does not exist in the sight of God, all things happen in a single moment, that is in the "pre-

sent". All events which we think of as past and future are present to God; in His sight everything is much
more clear and vital than we can perceive. For example, at this moment Jonah (pbuh) is being cast into the
sea as a result of the drawing of lots; Joseph (pbuh) is being thrown in to the well by his brothers; he is eat-
ing his first meal in prison and leaving the prison. At this moment Mary is speaking with Gabriel; Jesus

(pbuh) is being born. At this moment Noah (pbuh) is driving the first nail into the ark and leaving the ark
with his family at the place God chose for them. The mother of Moses (pbuh) is putting his cradle into the
water, Moses (pbuh) is receiving his first revelation from God in the bush, he is dividing the sea and the be-
lievers are passing through it. At this moment Pharaoh and his army are being drowned as they cross

through the sea and Moses (pbuh) is speaking with Khidr, Khidr is repairing the walls of the orphan chil-
dren. Those who asked Dhu'l-Qarnayn to build a barrier to protect them are at this moment presenting their
request and Dhu'l-Qarnayn is building the rampart that was not to be breached until the Day of Judgment.
Abraham (pbuh) is at this moment warning his father, breaking down the idols of the pagans, and the fire

they threw at him is giving Abraham (pbuh) coolness. Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant
him peace) is at this moment receiving a revelation from Gabriel and he is being taken from Masjid al-
Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa. At this moment the people of 'Ad are being destroyed. The dwellers in Paradise
are on their thrones engaged in mutual conversation; the dwellers in Hell are being consigned to

the flames suffering in great sorrow for which there is no remedy or recourse.
God sees and hears all these things, in this moment, with a far greater clarity than we
can imagine. God can hear sounds at frequen-
cies that we cannot hear and He can see

things that we cannot see. All the
events and sounds that we
can perceive and not per-
ceive are all present in

the sight of God and ex-
perienced at every mo-
ment in all their
vividness. None of these

things is ever lost but
continue in God's mem-
ory with all their details.

Events in the past are vividly and
clearly experienced in God's
memory as present events. For ex-
ample, the workers making the
pyramids are carrying their mate-
rials now, getting tired now, get-
ting thirsty and drinking water
now.

786 Atlas of Creation Vol. 3