Relating

Now we know that everything there is was created by God

in a moment,

and when we look at that creation,

the vastness of its extent,

the billions of distant galaxies,

and the enormity of the power it contains

we catch a glimpse of the power of the All-Powerful,

the All-Mighty,

and that can seem so far beyond us that there is no hope

of our little speck of humanity having any worth at all.

What is the point?

What do humans have that could be relevant to God?

Well, for all the fact that

we look at the vastness of the universe,

people still see that relationship as going one way.

We don't usually think of the universe as looking back.

But Allah, the fount and sustainer of that universe,

sees and hears us, and even knows the thoughts inside us.

God not only created humankind,

but also knows the thoughts that whisper within us,

telling us in the Qur'an that Allah is closer to us

than the jugular vein in our necks.

So there are aspects of Allah

that we see in humankind

that we don't see when looking at the stars.

God is not just Limitless,

All Power and Might

and the Light of the heavens and earth,

but also the Subtle and Gentle,

the Patient and Forgiving,

the Loving and Protecting Friend,

the Generous and the Just,

the All Knowing and Aware.

And of course, Allah is the All-Merciful,

and we see mercy in human beings,

not in the vastness of the galaxies.

And yet, what we understand as humans

we can apply to the creation that surrounds us,

for we can see beauty

in the heavens above us

as well as the world in which we live.

And God is Beautiful and loves Beauty said the Messenger.

So humans may not be insignificant,

but they are physically frail and easily broken,

and as with their bodies,

their weakness is also seen in their minds,

their will and their emotions,

and when their weakness shows,

in moves Shaitan whispering temptations,

persuading us to wander away from the straight path.

Then we can lose patience,

be greedy instead of generous,

hateful instead of loving,

and vengeful instead of forgiving.

And with that we turn our backs

on a way of life in which we try to please God,

and instead are tempted to only please ourselves,

and lost in pride and arrogance

we think we know better than the All-Knowing and All-Aware.

But peace and contentment never come

from following the whisperings of Shaitan,

only from following the straight path,

that way of life we call the Deen.